Slaggyford

Slaggyford is a village in the civil parish of Knaresdale with Kirkhaugh, in Northumberland, England about 5 miles (8 km) north of Alston, Cumbria. It is set in the South Tyne valley (often called the Tyne Gap). Hadrian's Wall lies to the north of the Tyne Gap. The South Tyne Valley falls within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the second largest of the 40 AONBs in England and Wales. Slaggyford takes its name from the Old English for ‘muddy, dirty ford’, which may originate from quickly moving river water stirring up the river bed at the bottom of a short steep hill, as the river drops from 1,000 feet (305 m) to 700 feet (213 m) from Alston to Slaggyford. The Pennine Way runs through the village on its way northwards from Alston to Greenhead. The Maiden Way Roman road passes through Slaggyford, with the A689 road following the line of the Roman road for a few hundred yards on the way south out of the village.