•     Introduction
•     Amble to Felton
  •     Coquet Mouth
  •     Warkworth New Bridge
  •     Warkworth Old Bridge
  •     Black Bridge, Warkworth
  •     Acklington Railway Viaduct
  •     Acklington Park Bridge (Guyzance)
  •     Felton New Bridge
  •     Felton Old Bridge
  •     Felton A1 Bridge
•     Felton To Rothbury
  •     Catheugh Bridge
  •     Weldon A697 Bridge
  •     Weldon Bridge
  •     Brinkburn Footbridge
  •     Pauperhaugh Bridge
  •     Rothbury Stepping Stones
  •     Rothbury Bridge
  •     Rothbury Footbridge
  •     Rothbury Golf Club Bridge
  •     Lady's Bridge
•     Rothbury to Alwinton
  •     Thropton Footbridge
  •     Caistron Bridge
  •     Hepple Bridge
  •     Holystone Footbridge
  •     Sharperton Bridge
  •     Harbottle Footbridge
  •     Alwinton Bridge
•     Alwinton to   Coquet  Source
  •     Linshiels Bridge
  •     Linbriggs Bridge
  •     Shillmoor Bridge
  •     Bygate Hall Bridge
  •      Wedder Leap Footbridge
  •     Barrowburn Bridge
  •     Carshope Bridge
  •     Carlcroft Footbridge
  •     Carlcroft Bridge
  •     Blindburn Bridge
  •     Buckham's Bridge
  •     Makendon Bridge
  •     Chew Green Bridge
  •     Coquet Source
•     Former Bridges and   Fords
•     Reference
•     Links
•     Bridges On The Tyne
•     Bridges on the   Derwent
•     Bridges on the Tees
•     Bridges on the   Wansbeck
•     Bridges on the Blyth
•     Bridges on the Aln
•     Bridges on the Wear
•     Bridges on the Tweed

WEDDER LEAP FOOTBRIDGE

"A short distance from Windyhaugh the Coquet has cut for itself a passage through the solid rock, forming a long deep pool, known as "the Wedder Loup," famous for its big fish, but dangerously near the road that skirts its brink, The tradition attached to this pool is, that during the later mosstrooping days, when that respectable border profession was on the wane, a "lifter" one night carried off a nice plump wedder from the flock grazing on the slopes of Shillhope Law. The daring sheep-stealer had not proceeded very far ere the loss was discovered. Immediately the owner and his men gave chase. The "Hot Trod" proved short but decisive, Handicapped by the wedder tied around his neck, hill fashion, he was run to bay at this particular spot, to leap the chasm was his only chance of escape; therefore all was risked in one desperate bound. His feet touched the opposite bank; he clutched and struggled, but in vain - the wedder around his neck proved a very millstone to the fugitive, dragging him with his ill-gotten booty backwards into the murky depths of the pool below. Since then its name has been 'The Wedder Loup'."

'Upper Coquetdale'. David Dippie Dixon. 1903.

The footbridge crossing this part of the Coquet does not seem to cross at an especially dangerous place though it may not be at the exact spot described in the story told aboveand it is built across a pool 14 feet deep. Wedder means a sheep, loup of course means to leap. There is a farmhouse nearby and a picnic site with parking is provided opposite. The road still continues north and the hills are ever-present, sheep grazing on their slopes.

The valley is still fairly low, the road not having made any serious climbs apart from at Linbriggs. We are now deep inside the Ministry of Defence Otterburn (Military) Ranges, the live firing area lies to the south of the river, to the north is the dry training area.

 Wedder Leap Footbridge