140 The Ride Water Ca' Trail By Walter Beans. 



shallow, its course is still distinct and traceable ; and after 

 running up this field still due west to the march dyke, between 

 the lands of Harwood and Stonedge, the Trail enters Stonedge 

 farm, where the land at this part is wet and marshy ; but after 

 being traceable for 50 or 60 yards, I entirely lost tract of it ; 

 but still persevering in search of its course, I suddenly came 

 upon the old " Peche," near the west corner of the Stonedge 

 farm, where the land was dry and heathery, and the Trail broad 

 and deep. At this part the Trail was making for the parish of 

 Cavers in a south-west direction by the foot of a place called the 

 Hazeley Cleugh, where the march dyke runs between the 

 parishes of Hobkirk and Cavers on the south side of the 

 Peatlaw. 



Here on the Cavers side of the march, and on the farm of 

 Earlside, runs the old now disused road from Jedburgh to 

 Liddesdale by the Slitterick ; and it is probable that the road 

 may have formed a junction with the Trail at this point, and 

 continued on the Trail's course downward to a place called the 

 Gap, where on the left side of the public road there are the con- 

 spicuous remains of a camp, which the Trail may possibly have 

 joined. The lands here are called the South Berry Fell ; but in 

 the twelfth century were named Ring Wode Feld, from the still 

 positive appearance of the rings or forts on the farm, which is 

 on the estate of Stobs. Marching on the north side of Berry 

 fell is a large extent of pasture land on the farm of Earlside 

 called the " Haitts," but which anciently bore the name of 

 Ring woode hatt. This shows that the names of these localities 

 have not made a very important change since the twelfth 

 century. These ancient earthworks are generally known in 

 the Border districts by the names of Roundabouts, Rings. 

 Broughs, Trails, Ca' Trails, and Pech warks. 



The Picts or Pechs are traditionally said to have been men of 

 rather low stature, but strongly built, with exceeding long and 

 powerful arms. Learned archgeologists have laboured in con- 

 jecturing the etymology of "Catrail," syllablizing it with Cat 

 and Rail, as a fence, a military bulwark between hostile tribes ; 

 but a fosse of that nature would be but a spider's web to our 

 gallant forefathers, who could tumble down Roman walls of lime 

 and stone, and drive the invaders beyond the Border. The fact 

 is that many learned men never make themselves acquainted 

 with the language of the Border districts, and often ignore it, 



