On the Norse-Saxon Border // Dibbinsdale camp

Dec 2022. I spent a day and a night in the ancient woodlands of Dibbinsdale nature reserve, on the outskirts of Bromborough, Wirral. The area is steeped in history, some of which I intend on exploring further in future videos. Recorded with a Samsung Galaxy S20.
#wirral #bromborough #dibbinsdale #wildcampinguk
Music by Munknörr
Creative Commons Attribution Licence (Reuse Allowed)
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Track: The Beat of the Earth
• The Beat of the Earth
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Track: Depurð
• Munknörr - Depurð
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Track: Dísablot (with Sigurboði Grétarsson)
• Munknörr & Sigurboði G...
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Track: Wolf Spirit
• Wolf Spirit
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[@p__k]

There is definitely some spiritual activity down that ancient woodland. Something about the place I cant quite put into words.

[@WirralWill]

Too right mate! Really enjoyed exploring the place, will do so again maybe in the Spring and see what else I can find. Will

[@lynneleverton8825]

Hi there.....I regularly had to drive that Dibbinsdale road at all hours of the night. I hadn't heard of the ghost stories, because I live on the West side of the Wirral. I always had to lock my doors and put up the windows of the car and I get serious chills right by what I now know is the bridge. I was telling someone else that I always have to put the windows up there and lock the doors and she told me about the stories. A lot of locals say it's a headless nun, but obviously a picture of a woman in white is on the Pesto pub sign! Glad you covered this! That road seriously spooks me of a night time!

[@becmoorby6732]

Looks a beautiful spiritual place this one will, really enjoyed the history too! Epic vid 😁

[@WirralWill]

Thanks Bec, nothing beats getting out into this type of nature and just taking it all in. Defo a spirituality to it. Will

[@ramblingremedies]

Atmospheric music and great narration accompanied by beautiful surroundings, enjoyed this.

[@WirralWill]

Too kind, thank you. Hope you are out there having your own fun in the great outdoors mate!

[@patriotictwinsuk5758]

You are 100% correct this area around the Dibbinsdale river is a 10th century front line and where Bruna built his fort somewhere along this river in Bronsborough, known then as a Burh, these Burhs were started in Wessex under Alfred the great, King Æthelstan’s Grand Father, his daughter Æthelflead also known as the lady of the Mercians allowed a Norse settlement in 902, her husband Ethelred didn’t die until 911, but Æthelflead started taking major decisions as Ethelred was ill from 902 onwards. There was a battle at 910 as the Norse started spreading beyond the Wirral, it wasn’t the best farmland and they needed to move beyond the Wirral, so a battle was fought for Chester, but Æthelflead was ready for them and defeated them and I believe they was pushed back into the Wirral north of Dibbingsdale River and a chap called Bruna ( that means Brown in modern day English, whether he had Brown Hair, or Brown eyes or olive skin, who knows) built a Burh, which became Brunanburh, modern name Bromborough. So your video is very important and you said the River was much more deeper and more significant in the 10th century, which is also very interesting. The River Dibbinsdale runs from east to west as It passes Bromborough, then a little after Bromborough it runs south for quite a while where it seems to fade away, so if you was a Norse in the 10th century it would be very difficult to circumnavigate that fortification, rather than storm it across a deep river with a high hill on the opposite side and a fortification above that hill as it runs through a valley, so if you then decided to try to go around it you would be leaving yourself isolated and cut of as you would need to travel south for quite a while as you circumnavigate the river and then travel north to reach the fortification completely cut of and still face a formidable fortification. It’s virtually impregnable in my opinion and just like in Wessex under Alfred these Burhs really frustrated the Danes also, it was virtually impossible for them to overcome. Contact me i am [e-mail] I have been doing videos about the battle of Brunanburh, that it is definitely in the Wirral for some time now and we held a meeting called Æthelstan’s round table my videos are not on KZbin, If I mention the platform they are on, KZbin might take this comment down. Regards Jamie.

[@nestahale8510]

Hi, Will! I grew up on the Wirral, 1941-63. Many times played with friends exploring Dibbinsdale, and, in season, carried home arms full of bluebells. Raby Mere another favourite spot. Love my beautiful homeland and all its history. Thanks for researching the history. I really enjoyed your video! Expat now in BC Canada.

[@claralouise6433]

I love each and every one of your videos, so beautifully done. Thanks for sharing 😊x

[@WirralWill]

Hi Clara, thanks for the kind words! Many more vids to come when time allows. Hope you're keeping well up there beyond the Wall, Will 🙏

[@claralouise6433]

@@WirralWill all good thanks! Had a surprisingly good summer. I always watch your videos when I miss home 😅 hope you’re keeping well too!

[@user-sc5xu6hc1n]

Liked it alot.

[@WirralWill]

Thank you. More vids like this will be coming soon! 🙏

[@stonehengeminstrel]

My Great Grandad was a merchant sailor from Bergen in Norway and ended up staying in England, settling in Birkenhead which was a regular port of call back then, so I am 1/8 Viking myself 🙄😂. Great video, you even managed to capture a bat flying past your tent✌

[@WirralWill]

Haha! It is crazy how small of a world it is really. Also, I had a great uncle who lived for a time in Birkenhead, traveled the world working on ships, before settling in Norway, where I have family today! I think your Norwegian viking heritage may outrank your Birkenhead viking heritage, but don't quote me on that! 😆 Thanks for taking the time my friend, I'll have to watch it back because I never noticed a bat at the time.. Will 🙏

[@stonehengeminstrel]

@@WirralWill The bat is at 13:34 flies in on the right exits on the left. Slow the video down for a better image ✌️

[@WirralWill]

@Stonehenge Minstrel Whoa! Never noticed that before! Can we be sure it's a bat?! Interesting stuff, thanks for pointing it out 👍

[@stonehengeminstrel]

@@WirralWill Yeah it's a bat, speed trajectory and a final twist as it exits you can see the shape of its wings, I'm familiar with bats on my walks at night they are quite common to see. Slow the video down to .25x speed it soars in, you can see it much better✌️

[@gaynor9575]

This was very Atmospheric, and Greatly Informative video. Been down Dibbinsdale only a few times, makes me feel a bit 'out of sorts' and not safe. Keep up the good work. Thanks.

[@WirralWill]

Thank you for the kind words Gaynor. As far as feeling not safe goes, I didn't feel anything like that myself. At first I was in awe of how clear the night sky was, and how bright the moon was. Then I reached the tunnel and got a bit spooked out by the palpable energies there for a bit! By the time I reached the camping spot, the woodlands had taken on a peaceful and serene vibe. Also the cold made me want to jump in my sleeping bag ASAP! Defo worth more visits this place. Will

[@MICHAEL-wg2lh]

Addicted to your vids now mate 😅 👍

[@WirralWill]

Too kind my friend! 🙂

[@ianmurphy1391]

Good vids m8👍

[@Anybloke]

Noctorum is old Irish also. It means "dry hill". I believe there are otters upriver on the Mersey so it's not impossible for them to return to Wirral. I hope they do.

[@WirralWill]

I didn't know that mate, thanks for the info I'll have to look into it. And fingers crossed with the otters, the valleys and waterways around Bebington must have been majestic back in the day 👍 Will

[@kevinlawes591]

I grew up in Bromborough so I know them woods like the back of my hand! Trust me trust me and most of the lads i grew up with have seen some stuff that you would not believe! Strange place but special at the same time!

[@WirralWill]

Nice one Kev. Some mad energies there no doubt about it. Wouldn't mind hearing a story or two if you have the time! This night I was here, the tunnel was as dark and unsettling as always. When I stood midway through the tunnel with no light on, things started to happen. Noises in the dark. Scraping sounds, knocks and bangs. If you have a source of light the noises stop abruptly. Creepy stuff!

[@gbwildlifeuk8269]

"I know them woods" * I know those woods!

[@WirralWill]

@@gbwildlifeuk8269 🤣

[@GazianoOutdoors]

Cracking video this mate, enjoyed watching , nice music and really good information too , I'll have to visit myself sometime, not sure I'd have the balls to camp here overnight on my own though with that white lady knocking about 😂, top vid mate 👍 atb

[@WirralWill]

Thanks for the kind words Gaz! Defo worth a visit mate, loads of cool spots and quirky things to see. A week before this vid, the place was flooded with about 1 foot of water through the tunnel and around the hill where I camped! And lol @ the White Lady. Scary stuff that, I drove the route in hoping to catch something, but as I crossed the bridge a big 4x4 came down the hill the opposite way, and lit the whole road, river and woodlands up like a UFO. 😆👽

[@GazianoOutdoors]

@@WirralWill 😂👍

[@MICHAEL-wg2lh]

13.32 mark looks exactly like spirit energy flaoting past the camera but it might be some kind of material but its the spit of spirit energy , 💯

[@WirralWill]

I've had a couple of people mention that shot. I'm not sure what it was 😮 I try to rationalise these things, maybe some dust I disturbed from the forest floor? 😅 I have had some things that couldn't be rationalised on my travels though! Considering making a video touching on some of my experiences 👍

[@BarryCampbell6822]

Excellent vid, and a great adventure, Bill. I havent been to Dibbinsdale in over a decade, and never wanted to camp out there; There's always been something weird about the atmosphere down there, for me. Ive camped in a few dodgy areas (and on a few dodgy sites, like) without feeling apprehensive, but, even in daylight, theres always been something "in the air" at Dibbinsdale that made my arse proper carry. This video shows how hard you are, you must have spent a few days in St. Patrick's Well and become rock. That thing you were doing at around the 6 minute 32 second mark - was that 'running'? I'd heard of it but never seen it actually done? Another ancient name for this spot is Harness Dale, remind me to tell you sometime about the sinister presence known as the Jawsnapper Excellent vid, Bill, youre braver than me; its a wonder you didnt get your balls caught between the trees

[@WirralWill]

🤣👍

[@pipins3616]

I have not seen or heard much of any Viking artefacts come up on the Wirral.

[@TegeElleMusic]

dope!

[@WirralWill]

Thanks 🙏

[@pauloferrara5893]

I live near here Mill Rd end, was there a few weeks ago and it was under water.

[@WirralWill]

I went too and waded through the tunnel! The river was flowing freely across the path near the reads 😆 decided to wait another week before filming this 😅

[@justiflower3993]

😍😍😍

[@WirralWill]

🙂👍

[@markhand4530]

so we they the original vikings from dublin who the saxon queen allowed to settle in that region? i never knew they were a mixture of irish vikings nor did i know that they began raids into saxon territory as you said they had to fortify the border. This all happenned before the battle of bromburgh right? i imagine they obviously fought with the alliance of scots vikings from ireland so i always wondered what happened after the battle? were the one's who survived slaughtered? as obviously the saxons would never have wanted them to rise up again

[@WirralWill]

Hi Mark, the Norse had been in and around Dublin for several generations in the decades before they left. Intermingling with natives, getting involved in wider Irish politics, even working as merceneries for Irish kings. Would have to believe they would have intermarried with natives. Must have been many amongst them who were born and raised in Ireland. I think the Norse-Gaels who arrived with Ingimundr would have consisted of this mix of peoples. Also worth noting, the Irish Norse horde contained specialist Gaelic units. They happily fought alongside eachother! There is also Liscard/Lios na Carraig, which is Old Irish for 'fort on the rock'. As far as Brunanburh goes, once the Norse had settled on the Wirral a large proportion of them did live peacefully it appears. They were left alone by the Mercians and allowed to settle and develop the land freely. There are also accounts of bands of Norsemen on both sides of the battle. There are many who fought on the side of Aethelstan and Edmund. So it is hard to tell. The Wirral appears to have been used as a landing spot for armies throughout that period though, so they must have played both sides. After the battle, the population on the Wirral carried on, it wasn't killed off. The battle was decisive, but the challenge faced by Aethelstan didn't end there. The focus switched back to the viking kingdom of Jorvik. I think some of the Norse-named settlements on the Wirral may have came after the battle even. Hope this provides you a bit of food for thought! Will