The
Carter Bar is the point at which the
A68 crosses the
England-Scotland border and forms a pass located at the top of
Redesdale in the
Cheviot Hills at an altitude of . The first sizeable Scottish town is
Jedburgh approximately north. Other nearby Scottish towns include
Hawick away and
Kelso. On the English side, the first settlement is
Byrness, followed by
Redesdale, with
Otterburn next at the junction of the A68 and
A696 then
Newcastle upon Tyne away. The A696 and A68 combine to form one of the main routes (and a popular scenic tourist route) between Newcastle upon Tyne and the Scottish capital,
Edinburgh.
In 1575 Carter Bar was the scene of the
Raid of the Redeswire, one of the last large-scale battles between the English and the Scots.
Carter Bar was the location of
Truce days, that were held between the
Lord Warden of the
Marches of both countries to dispense cross border justice in the
Late MediƦval and
Early Modern periods. Truce days were also held at
Carlisle and
Berwick upon Tweed.
Carter Bar forms a popular point for tourists to stop and take photographs on the England-Scotland border. There are two marker stones on either side of the A68 for this purpose. Upper
Redesdale, the
Scottish Borders (including
Tweeddale) and to the east,
The Cheviot are all visible from Carter Bar. However, its altitude means snow is possible even in late spring and early autumn, and the Carter Bar pass can be subject to frequent snow-related closures during the...
Read More