retreat. One may wander at will amongst the breezy hills, and inhale
the most invigorating air; springs of the coolest and clearest water
abound, and there are few of the brooks in their upper reaches which
will not furnish natural shower-baths. Did the reader ever indulge in
such a mountain-bath? If not, then let him on a summer day seek out
some rocky pool, sheltered from the sun, if possible, by birch and
mountain-ash, and, creeping in below the stream where it leaps from the
ledges above, allow the cool water to break upon his head, and he will
confess to having discovered a new aqueous luxury. Then from the slopes
and tops of the hills you have some of the finest panoramic views to
be seen in this island. Nor are there wanting picturesque nooks, and
striking rock scenery amongst the hills themselves: the sides of the
Cheviot are seamed with some wild, rugged chasms, which are just as
weird in their way as many of the rocky ravines that eat into the
heart of our Highland mountains. The beauty of the lower reaches of
some of the streams that issue from the Cheviots is well known; and
few tourists who enter the vale of the Teviot neglect to make the
acquaintance of the sylvan Jed. But other streams, such as the Bowmont,
the Kale, the Oxnam, and the Rule will also well repay a visit. In
addition to all these natural charms, the Cheviot district abounds in
other attractions. Those who are fond of Border lore, who love to seek
out the sites of old forays, and battles, and romantic incidents, will
find much to engage them; for every stream, and almost every hill, is
noted in tale and ballad. Or if the visitor have antiquarian tastes, he
may rival old Monkbarns, and do his best to explain the history of the
endless camps, ramparts, ditches, and terraces which abound everywhere,
especially towards the heads of the valleys. To the geologist the
district is not less interesting, as I hope to be able, in the course
of these papers, to show. The geological history of the Cheviots might
be shortly summed up, and given in a narrative form, but it will
perhaps be more interesting, and, at the same time more instructive,
if we shall, instead, go a little into detail, and show first what
the nature of the evidence is, and, second, how that evidence may be
pieced together so as to tell its own story. I may just premise that
my descriptions refer almost exclusively to the Scottish side of the
Cheviots--which is not only the most picturesque, but also the most
interesting, both from an antiquarian and geological point of view.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account