Topics > Cumbria > Rivers in Cumbria > River Esk ('the Border Esk') > River Lyne (Cumbria) > White Lyne
White Lyne
The White Lyne is a river in Cumbria, which is one of the two main headwaters of the River Lyne. The river arises at Whitelyne Common in the northeast of Cumbria, close to the borders with Scotland and Northumberland. The White Lyne flows in a roughly south-westerly direction, eventually merging with the Black Lyne near the hamlet of Stapleton, south-west of Bewcastle, to form the River Lyne. The White Lyne has several tributaries, some of which include Show Burn, Kirk Beck, Bothrigg Burn, Ellery Sike, and Whitberry Burn.
The valley of the White Lyne, particularly around the Bewcastle Fells, has historically been used for summer cattle grazing, with sites of medieval shielings (seasonal huts) located along its banks. The Bewcastle Fells were first used by the Lords of Burgh on Solway in the 13th century to summer their cattle and build 'shields and cabins'. This custom continued into the 17th century.
