New heritage trail board celebrates Borders breed
Dandie Dinmont route unveils historic connections
A SECOND information board has been unveiled as part of a heritage trail dedicated to a Borders dog breed.
The Dandie Dinmont Heritage Trail has been worked on by breed enthusiasts for a number of years.
The trail will feature four boards with information on the history of the Dandie Dinmont – from its beginnings as a farm dogs to being listed on the Kennel Club’s Native Vulnerable Breeds list.
Kenny Allan from the Dandie Dinmont Heritage Trail said: “A group of dedicated Dandie Dinmont enthusiasts has been working for several years now to establish a Dandie Dinmont Terrier Heritage Trail throughout the Borderlands of Scotland and England the area where the Dandie originates from.
“The trail will take visitors on a ‘journey’ through the Scottish Borders to the places where the Dandie came from and will explain the important historic connections of the breed to such places as Kirk Yetholm, Rothbury, Oxnam Kirk, Abbotsford, Kelso, Selkirk, The Haining and Bowhill, to name but a few.”
The latest board was unveiled on Saturday, March 30 at Bowhill House by Lady Louisa Trotter, daughter of the Duke of Buccleuch.
The first board was put up at Kirk Yetholm and unveiled by Lady Grossart.
As part of the group’s research for the boards they discovered a painting of James Kerrs, the gamekeeper at Bowhill House who discovered Dandie Old Pep
per in a trap – all living Dandies can be traced back to Old Pepper.
The third board will be in place at Oxnam Kirk in October.
The group is in talks with The Haining about a board being installed within its grounds.
The boards are site specific with information on the history and character of Dandies.
They also acknowledge the efforts of early breeder “Piper” Willie Allan and members of the traveller and Gypsy communities in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Renowned Borders farmer James Davidson, of Hindlee, is
also named on the boards for his work to develop the breed - Mr Davidson is buried at Oxnam Kirk, the location of the third board, to be unveiled later this year.
Important contributions from Sir Walter Scott, the Duke of Buccleuch, and Queen Victoria will also be acknowledged on the boards.
The Dandie Dinmont has fallen out of favour in recent years, with, on average, fewer than 100 puppies being born a year in the UK.
This decline has seen the breed placed on the Kennel Club’s Native Vulnerable Breeds list.
Dandies are one of the oldest
breeds in the world, and were catapulted into popularity as pets thanks to Sir Walter Scott’s Guy Mannering in 1815.
Enthusiasts are working to restore the popularity of Dandie Dinmonts through the heritage trail and public events such as the Dandie Derby.
The Old Pepper Trail is now open at Bowhill House.
For more information on The Old Pepper Trail, including a map, visit: www.bowhillhouse. co.uk/the-grounds/walking
And for information on Dandie Dinmont Heritage Trail and the Dandie Derby, visit: www.dandiederby.com