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possibly might not have been made until a later period than the 
great road over Stainmore, which would, no doubt, be the most 
important, coming as it did right down the great plain of Cumber- 
land upon Wragmire Moss—a splendid specimen of engineering 
skill, and which may still be seen. The road was carried over the 
mire upon a frame-work of solid oak, which sank with the weight 
of the material placed upon it. This has served its purpose for 
long ages, and is still serving it to-day. 
It is a singular fact, that after the construction of the Maiden 
Way by the Romans, no further attempt at road making over the 
Crossfell range of mountains was attempted for about one thousand 
six hundred years. There wasa track over Hartside for pack-horses 
and foot passengers, but nothing in the shape of a road until early 
in this century, when Macadam carried over his splendid road from 
Alston to Melmerby—undoubtedly the greatest undertaking over the 
Pennine range since the Maiden Way was constructed. Macadam 
has placed his stamp upon the country almost as strongly as the 
engineers of ancient Rome themselves. 
The pack-horses seem to have passed in a regular gang from 
Penrith to Alston twice a week, by a road over Penrith Fell to the 
old bridge over the Eden, between the two Salkelds. Langwathby 
bridge was not built until 1682. 
The old drove roads, most of which were mere tracks, abound 
with interest. The rights to drive to certain old established fairs 
are very curious, and the origin of them is entirely lost. This can 
only be accounted for on the ground that before the enclosure of 
these lands a right was exercised that even the Enclosure Acts did 
not interfere with. 
These old drove roads are altogether very peculiar, but the 
decline of the great fairs, and railway communication, has caused 
many of them to be entirely lost. Nothing has interfered more 
with our old roads and paths than the railway system throughout 
the country. Some have been diverted, whilst many a lovely path 
has been entirely lost even in this immediate vicinity. For 
example, the beautiful path to the Spa Well, notwithstanding the 
efforts of the Footpaths Association, is in danger of being lost, the 
