A hunt for an ancient whisky still and wild camping at a remote waterfall
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- čas přidán 30. 07. 2024
- It all came together on Halloween. We would wild camp at Davidsons Linn, one of the Cheviot Hill's best waterfalls and that would give us the opportunity to search for Rory's Still, one of the old illicit whisky distilleries tucked away in these remote and often bleak hills.
Did we find it? YES! Although it was quite hard to reach and no gentle walk
Part of the inspitation came from Andrew Charleton's book "Whisky Valley" which details the locations and some of the history and context behind these magical forgotten places.
Other inspiration came from videos by @cheviotoutdoors , @Fell_Wanderer and @Markwildcamp
Credit where it's due!
Great to be back out with Shaun from @macinthewild8116 and a first time meeting with the @thegeordiewildcamper himself (turned out be be a canny chap)
The weather was with us on the way in but the walkout was a bit of a shank when the skies opened and didn't let up.
I lost an onion. It's one of those small red onions that looks more purple. If you're up that way and find it I'm happy for you to keep it 👍
Still, great to be out! I'm already planning the next one
Thanks for watching!
Graham
#hiking #wildcampinguk #nordisk #nationalpark #northumberland #camping #outdoorlife #wildcamp #whisky - Krátké a kreslené filmy
If any one would like to support my little meanderings:
www.buymeacoffee.com/gpbasnettK
It would be gratefully received!
Great wildcamp, interesting about that old distillery that was there. 👍👍
Thank you, it was a smashing place to camp and I find tiny bits of half forgotten history like that fascinating. ATB, Graham 👍
Good on yea graham fine stroll ahead blessings
Thank you, I really enjoyed this camp, ATB, Graham 👍👍
Was great to finally get out together in such a brilliant spot. Thanks for letting me tag along. ATB
Absolute pleasure man and great to meet you. Full respect for getting there on your own and hiking out, great navigation skills and fortitude 👍
Fantastic little spot and a great video of Northumberland history.
Thank you, interesting little place up there, ATB, Graham 👍
Hi Graham, what a great walk in and cracking spot, all in a great camp.
Cheers Adrian
Thanks Adrian, it's certainly quite a varied walk in a really interesting place to camp, 👍👍
I always look forward to your videos! Your wit is wonderful! I’ll bet your coworkers love it when you’re on shift with them. That’s when the uncensored, real life humor shows, if your hospitals are like ours 😂
Haha, you’ve hit the nail right on the head, that’s exactly what work is like, I bet hospitals are the same the world over 😂 Thanks for watching, really appreciate the comments, ATB, Graham 👍👍
Great video mate, Perfect evening viewing :)
Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed it, ATB, Graham 👍
'Feint heart never won fair lady' bro😉Spectacular locations like that will always be a special memory! Sláinte🥃
Absolutely. Slainte mhath 🥃 !
You're looking well Graham. Great video and lovely representation of a beautiful place in the country.
Thanks mate, that’s much appreciated 👍
Crackin that, you're so lucky living up there,glad you stayed off the tuna mate.
Northumberland is a great place to explore and wild camp👍 I’m glad I stayed off the tuna too 😂 burgers went down a treat, ATB, Graham 👍👍
Nice hiking and wild camping! Really nice area too. Ive liked and subscribed.
Thank you very much! appreciated! ATB, Graham 👍
Intersting stuff Nice One great camp - I love my Telemark too...great weight! 👍👍
Ah, another Telemark fan! Yup it's a great little tent, thanks for watching, ATB, Graham 👍👍
Hi Graham, another great video with sweeping vistas. Remember reading that the northumbrian illicit whiskey distillers carried their finished product in stone bottles called "grey hens".
Thanks Dad, that's right, they were carried out the valley (so I've read anyway) in those 'grey hens', no doubt well hidden from the excise officers!
Brilliant watch Big G. You looked a little moist at the end and not in a good way! With that caliber of joke - there's always the stand up career to fall back on 🤣
Nice video Graham. Wishing you a great day 👍
Thanks, you too! 👍
Cracking video mate , really enjoyed looking back on the camp. Difficult walk out man !!
Haha, it was, wasn’t it? 😂 Easier with good company though!
Cracking video, inspired me to finally try and get up to the Linn. Managed it on Sunday and found the stil!!!
It’s a nice little area of the Cheviots isn’t it? It does feel nice and remote. And kudos on finding the still I didn’t find it, especially easy. It’s got me thinking about the other stills in the Cheviots now. ATB and thanks for watching, Graham 👍👍
@grahamswildcamping To be fair, Graham if you hadn't pointed it out in the video I'd have had no chance 🙂
@@eamonmcginty1183 glad the video was helpful! 👍
Nice one Graham, an interesting camp and area. Always a struggle packing down when it dire weather outside. But always great to look back on. Atb Dave
Yeah, even getting out of a cosy sleeping bag and taking down a tent in cold grey rain makes for good memories when nice and dry back home. It's probably the worst bit of camping for me, but I still love the whole thing, TFW, ATB, Graham 👍👍
Looks like a great hike! Cheers from Norway!
Thanks very much! 👍
@@grahamswildcamping 👍
hi Graham love that part of the Cheviots 👌i went to the john barleycorn festival at rothbury years ago & a guy in guise as black rory came in of the street 😊
Ah, that’s interesting, good to hear Black Rory is still around. He must have been a proper character to be remembered to this day 👍👍
Well done finding the still and with dry feet as well 👍 I just walked upstream when I went so didn’t mind getting wet feet. FYI, if you’d taken a right turn where you were crossing the burn with the poles you’d have found another ‘secret’ waterfall about 50-100 yards upstream on Clay Burn. It’s also a nice pool for a dip in hot weather.
Interesting to find how you got to the still, I really wasn’t sure how to do it. Thanks for the info on the waterfall I’ll check that out sometime. Thanks for your earlier video on Rory’s still, it partly inspired this trip, ATB, Graham 👍
Thats a lovely spot. Know it from my mountain biking days and have spotted wild campers there years ago. Just further along near Ewartly Shank on Salters Rd east is where i found a comfy spot in the grass as i had an unplanned dismount from my bike (at 43mph), broke my collarbone and had to ride back to Alwinton. Still went for a pint after though haha.
Anyhoo i digress. Another great vid and walk/camp report. Enjoyed watching that. 👍
I remember seeing mtb’rs up that that way years ago- maybe it was you! I think it’s close to one of the routes featured in Derek Purdy’s book- one of the first mountain bike route guides in Northumberland. Those involuntary dismounts are a pain aren’t they? Credit to you for finishing the ride and having a pint- good effort 😂👍
Great stuff lads, that's a canny old hike to hit the Linn. I've only ever done it from the forestry tracks on the opposite side (unsure if that route has been cleared after Arwen). And great you find Rory's Still, which I've been told isn't the easiest of things to find. Nice to see TGW turn up later on as well. And you're right Graham, it's always felt bitter cold whenever I've camped there, no real sunrise or sunsets don't help I suppose. Another good watch - by heck you got this one uploaded fast (I watched it last night but forgot to leave a comment). TFS and atb DVS :)
Thanks Donna, I thought the way would be easy from the waterfall as it's only a few hundred yards but it was quite the hack and pretty boggy. It's a funny place to camp because the waterfall feels like such a special place but above the falls where the best camping is, there (or has been for me the twice I've camped there) a gloomy almost sinister feel about it- and as you say, quite chilly. I'll be back though! ATB, Graham👍👍
I've been along that path above the river. It is a lot higher and more precarious than it looks on film, especially with a pack on. Great video 👍
Thank you, yeah that track is a bit sketchier than it looked on the GoPro, especially with a full rucksack. Wouldn’t want to slip!
Thanks for watching, ATB, Graham 👍
I was there a couple montha ago and the walk in after Uswayford was brutal! Loved the history as always, looked like a great camp 😊
Thanks very much! It’s a funny old walk in from Barrow Burn, it’s pretty short but not without challenges. Was pooh bear there when you camped? ATB, Graham 👍👍
@@grahamswildcamping haha no I didnt camp it. Pooh must only visit overnighters 🤣
@@nightsinthewild lol 😆
Great vid Graham, it does take a bit of finding over rough ground and the clear stream was a bonus as I didn't see it when I found the still. I tried to find the one up copper snout but I looked for it in the summer and there was too much vegetation. There is another very remote one up yearning hall way at grid ref 823134 near where it is marked spring. I did have the exact spot marked on a map but I can't find it so the grid ref is only from memory. good luck trying to find it and well done with the channel.
Thanks Mark, I’ve got half a mind to go and search out the other stills. I’ve heard the one up near blind burn is hard to find in the summer with bracken etc. The one at Wholehope seems a bit easier to locate though. Thanks for watching mate 👍
i used to use that spring at yearning hall mark when camping at yearning saddle.ill check the still out on my next camp there 👍
There’s a whiskey 🥃 being made here in Northumberland called
Black Rory. Sad that’s a blended one too.
Thinking about it, Tuna should not give you a dickie belly. As you can eat tuna raw? Sushi 🍱
@Yorkshiremadmick I’ve found out about the Black Rory Whisky: I had no idea it was a thing.
I think the tuna was just too rich and too much, it wasn’t food poisoning, it just shot through my guts 😂 ATB, thanks for watching, Graham 👍😂
@@grahamswildcamping
I bought a bottle of Black Rory.
Not cheap and ashamed to say I prefer the taste of Highland Earl from ALDI
Cracking video Graham and as always some great history on the area congratulations on the subs mate great achievement atvb Jimmy 😎😎👍👍
Thanks for your comments Jimmy. Much appreciated mate! Good little place up there. Short walk in but not an easy one, ATB 👍👍
Class , great you found that still , bit of a mission bit of a mission mind , thanks for sharing atb Deka 👍🏻🏕️😎
Yeah we were both chuffed when we found it, Amazing that there is anything left after so much time but i think it goes to show how well built and how sheltered the kiln was, ATB, Graham 👍👍