The Fairy Holes and Linkirk caves in Shittlehope Burn, were reputed by ancient folklore to be the home to fairies who bewitched a young girl from Stanhope Old Hall and tried to lure her away. To prevent this, the house had to be silent at the hour of midnight when the fairies passed by.
Her parents took great pains to ensure that all was quiet, but upon hearing the little folk outside, the dog barked, so the girl was whisked away, never to return.
The caves can easily be seen from the track on the east side of the burn. If you’re more adventurous, they can be explored from the other side, but the route will be very wet and slippery, so do so at your own risk!
Depending on your route, there may be several stiles to climb, though as always most have gates close by for the dogs.
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