old drove road

Artist: dinghysailor1
previous browse art next

Card: US$2.85
Print: from US$14.25

old drove road

I took this on the hilltop ridge heading north into Peebles, scottish borders on 19/4/08.

Only later I realised this is the old Drove Road along which thousands of cattle annually were walked from the Highlands via Crieff or Falkirk and thence south to Norfolk for fattening prior to their final journey to market in London, for sale. This was an arduous journey of between 400 adm 500 miles!! . The two clearly visible dykes (dry stone walls) on either side stopped the cattle from wandering off the track.

Drovers used to herd several hundred head of cattle along such routes, chosen, not for shortness, but to avoid the cattle losing unneccessary condition, and to miss turnpike tolls where they could be charged per animal!

The head drover (the only one with horse) often rode ahead to check the route, and search for a suitable grazing place for the night. The other drovers covered the distance entirely on foot, and had to make many detours along the way to retrieve straying cattle.

They were paid little, were expected to provide their own food, plus make the return journey at their own expense! I even read that when food got short they would even ‘bleed’ the cattle usign it mixed with oatmeal to make their own ‘black puddings’ (not a favourite of mine still – yeuck!)

Progress was slow, covering only ten or twelve miles a day. During these long treks the cattle progressively lost condition, and their value diminished. Poor drovers could accentuate this by driving the cattle too hard, or stopping places where the grass was poor.

Droving like this was common from the 16th century but declined rapidly in the mid-nineteenth century when first steamships and then the advent of railways took over the work of the drovers.

ps my companion on this wonderful walk was my
patient pal.....

See also reading the wind*
when buster stands on the ridge and takes in all sights,sounds and scents while cooling his ears!

old drove road belongs to the following groups:

Descriptions and The Scots are Coming

sticky, 4 months ago

what a fantastic place captured perfectly…............... excellent shot.
Linda Morrison, 4 months ago

Great pic and an interesting read. Good work
RichardV, 4 months ago

Excellent capture and story Dinger.
julie08, 4 months ago

great shot:)
Anne Smyth, 4 months ago

beautiful image and thanks for the history. The image stands alone but the history is fascinating.
brirose55, 4 months ago

beautiful shot
Andy Harris, 4 months ago

great hioistory – great trail – great shot!
AmyX, 4 months ago

Very creative image…nice one

amyx
tomg, 4 months ago

Fabulous Maggie, really liked the narative ..
Molly Kinsey, 4 months ago

What a great shot and wonderful history of the trail!
hilarydougill, 4 months ago

Fantastic vista of those rolling hills, beautiful imagery and colour, great capture, I can just imagine them driving the sheep and cows over those roads, wonderful
Robin Brown, 4 months ago

Wow Dinghy, the history lesson is fascinating & the image superb. Excellent DOF & fantastic lead in lines. xx
Robert Elliott, 4 months ago

stunning image, great narrative
ShepS, 4 months ago

Nice one mate – great view and image
joak, 4 months ago

great shot and story dinger also in the 18th century the highland way of life was being destroyed by the clearances and had a huge effect on droving
Sean Farragher, 4 months ago

amazing shot and info
dinghysailor1 in reply to joak’s comment, 4 months ago

thanks joak – you’re so right ! cheers for that!
:))
photobymdavey, 4 months ago

Nice lines leading to a vanishing point – my last pictures of this scene were on slides, some time ago.
ltruskett, 4 months ago

That’s a beautiful shot, Ding. Love the colour of the shrubs and earth…......magic.
Spiritinme, 4 months ago

LIKE A FANTASY
Christopher E..., 4 months ago

so glad i hit back on my activity list, this is Excellent!! Wow! your depth of field, the way you lined up the rows to take you there, the Lighting!! Beautiful! and the story, wonderful story to go w/ this, can almost see the cattle moving down the ridges. out did yourself on this one maggie!
JLDunn, 4 months ago

This is terrific, and your knowledge of it impressive! Amazing vista!
EdgeOfReality, 4 months ago

A great capture made all the more interesting with the accompanying historical description. You’ve certainly done your homework for this one Dinghy.
dinghysailor1 in reply to EdgeOfReality’s comment, 4 months ago

thanks so much ! it was fascinating to read up when I got back and realised what I had been walking along…;)
Gene Praag, 4 months ago

Great description to go with a beautiful scenic image!
kevin smith, 4 months ago

Thanks for the interesting story ….and great shot.
Antanas, 4 months ago

great capture
Helen Bascom, 4 months ago

Gorgeous vista. Excellent shot.
DesImages, 4 months ago

Great sense of space and distance. Thanks for taking the time to explain the history too. I think that really adds to it.
Mariaan Krog, 4 months ago

Wonderful background info! Excellent capture.
Michael Oubridge, 4 months ago

Gorgeous scenery to walk amongst, lovely shot and great description
reflector, 4 months ago

It resembles the Great Wall Of China in a way. A nice, Dog-free capture ! Was Buster carrying the equipment ?
dinghysailor1 in reply to reflector’s comment, 4 months ago

not quite as well maintained i fear – and there’s an idea! I could hang my finepix 500 on his collar like a barrel….to come to the rescue at a whistle!.. teehee!
:)
reflector, 4 months ago

All jokes aside, how are Busters Flying Lessons coming along ?
dinghysailor1 in reply to reflector’s comment, 4 months ago

the novel attachment of those windsocks on his head do help a lot for liftoff… LOL
;0)
reflector, 4 months ago

LOL TooRight ! I’ve heard he can’t even read, so how he’s going to pass the written test to ” earn his wings ” is beyond me ! :D
Jen Whyte, 4 months ago

These Moors are so beautiful … we used this road while hostelling in our youth and it is still as beautiful today … thank you
Damien Taylor, 4 months ago

Maggie, can’t believe I missed this. What a wonderful panoramic view, I love the drystone walls and the rolling hills which almost look like the back of a giant prehistoric beast (he said dramatically!) leading the eye into the picture. Great job mate.
dinghysailor1 in reply to Damien Taylor’s comment, 4 months ago

Thanks everyone ! and yes it is such a dramatic ridge that looked superb in the late afternoon light. You do get a feel that many thousands have travelled this way and how wonderful to walk in their steps…
cheers all
ding
:)
Gottography ., about 1 month ago

I’ve been to Peebles!
MICKSPIXPHOTOS, 9 days ago

NOW, SEEING THIS IMAGE, I WANT TO VISIT SCOTLAND EVEN MORE !!
dinghysailor1 in reply to MICKSPIXPHOTOS’s comment, 9 days ago

If you like walking then its definitly the place for you ! lots of trails following the contours like this one and others up and down steep hillsides – ww have em all!!

hope you make it one day …
and if not rb is also the place for you … with even a ‘scots are coming’ group which has some absolutely stunning images