Walks and Unusual Place Names

[lee1962]

When I go walking in the Peak District part of the reason for me visiting a location might well be its unusual name. I'm wondering if anyone else takes this into account. In the Peak District some unusual names are 'Surprise View' 'Toad's Mouth' and High Low. There are many more.

 

[woof]

Its not the reason I walk in certain places, but I'm always interested in how they came by their names.

Rob

 

[John Fenna]

I love odd name places

Some of my favourites (names, not necessarily the places)
Spittal on the Street
Wetwang
Englishmans Grave (South Africa)
Hope (I would love to be able to say "I live in Hope" and mean it)
Halfway (to where exactly?)
Little Piddle

On walks , like the OP, I would even make detours to visit unusually named places - discoveries made this way include both "Ludd's Church" and "The Cat and Fiddle" pub
- both are worth a visit if you are near the Peak district

 

[boatman]

For some reason The Bridge of Orchy is my favourite name but plain village names like Shop or just Bridge run it close. Distressing that there is a move to bowlderise some existing names in order to remove references to bottoms and the like. In Wiltshire it was reassuring to know that one would be walking through a Sound Bottom at times.

 

[Kerne]

Knockin in Shropshire - I'd love to own the shop there... (I'll get me coat.)

 

[Reverend Graham]

There's a place in the Scottish Isles called Twatt, honest, Google it

Rev G

 

[santaman2000]

Nearby to me now is a small town called Niceville. It's located on Boggy Bayou near Choctawhatchie Bay. Growing up back in Mississippi I remember towns like Eastabutchie and Hot Coffee.

 

[Joonsy]

I have always found place names interesting, often they are found to have some historical context. When walking I am often drawn to odd and unusual things like place names, names of buildings and woods, unusual gravestones, odd signposts, etc etc, anything out of the ordinary.

A small selection of place names I have come across while walking, all in Shropshire Worcestershire or Herefordshire:--

Bedlam / The Bog / Titterstone / Ticklerton / Drinkers End / Druggers End / Snailbeach / Hope / Ratlinghope / Diddlebury / Haytons Bent / Trumpet / Ripple / Betton Strange / Hook A Gate / Twitchen / Hole in the Wall / Clive / Wigwig.

I often gaze at headstones in old country churchyards looking for unusual ones, one that catched my eye read as follows:--

Remember you that pass me by
As you are so was i
And as I am so you must be
So remember this and think on me

 

[GGTBod]

Back in my hardcore raver days of my youth i was very happy wandering the streets of Rotterdam when i turned onto a street named Harddraverstraat

 

[John Fenna]

There's a place in the Scottish Isles called Twatt, honest, Google it

Rev G

Been there - Orkney Mainland
No name plate on the roadside anymore - but you can buy reproductions in Kirkwall

 

[Mesquite]

Been there - Orkney Mainland
No name plate on the roadside anymore - but you can buy reproductions in Kirkwall

I seem to recall reading somewhere they removed it because it kept getting stolen

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

Not actually a place but a road name, Pocket Handkerchief lane.

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

Always thought this was a joke.

 

[John Fenna]

I seem to recall reading somewhere they removed it because it kept getting stolen

How very odd.......

 

[John Fenna]

Always thought this was a joke.

Too small for me to make out....

 

[Drain Bamaged]

There's a village in Scotland called Dull that is twinned with a town in Oregon, USA called Boring.

DB

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

Too small for me to make out....

Sorry technical issue. Should be sorted now.

 

[John Fenna]

"Whorehouse Meadow" in Oregon USA had its name changed to "Naughty Girl Meadow" but the old name was reinstated after public outcry!
Back in Britain - I can truthfully say that I have sat on "Lord Hereford's Knob"...
it is a top in the Black Mountains, overlooking the Hay on Wye area ...

 

[John Fenna]

Sorry technical issue. Should be sorted now.

It's a fair cop!
Or at least - their address!

 

[bearbait]

I came across Rocky Road (it was) and Lois Lane somewhere up in Alaska.