Liddel Water

Liddel Water is a river that flows through southern Scotland and northern England, forming part of the border between the two countries. It begins beneath Peel Fell in the Scottish Borders, where three burns—the Caddroun Burn, Wormscleuch Burn and Peel Burn—join to create its source. Near the village of Saughtree, Dawston Burn adds to the flow before the river turns south-west. It passes through Newcastleton, also called Copshaw Holm, and continues to Kershopefoot, where it becomes the Anglo-Scottish boundary. The river gathers many tributaries along its route, including Hermitage Water near Sandholm and Kershope Burn at Kershopefoot. These streams come from hills and farms such as Burnmouth, Riccarton and Dinlabyre, swelling the main river as it moves through the landscape. Near Carwinley in Cumbria, the earthworks of Liddel Strength, a former castle, overlook Willow Pool where Liddel Water meets the River Esk. Visitors can walk along the riverbank paths in the quiet border countryside, where hills and farmland frame the water’s course. The route passes old farm steadings and the remains of historic sites like Liddel Strength, offering views of the river’s changing flow. The valley, known as Liddesdale, shows how the water has shaped both the land and the border between England and Scotland.