{"id":55978,"title":"The Viking Villages of the Ridge","description":"Walking inland along the old ridge paths, a pattern begins to reveal itself in the names of the villages. &nbsp;Greasby. Irby","content":"<p>Walking inland along the old ridge paths, a pattern begins to reveal itself in the names of the villages.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Greasby.<\/p><p>Irby.<\/p><p>Pensby.<\/p><p>Frankby.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>The ending \u201cby\u201d comes from Old Norse, meaning a farm or settlement \u2014 one of the traces left by Scandinavian settlers who lived across this peninsula more than a thousand years ago.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/bcdxyrnxoun82l97d1ec3yb61wxyzx82iobabcbqgosogyto.jpg.jpg?w=1140&amp;project=beastly-boroughs-416041&amp;v=2\" alt=\"bcdxyrnxoun82l97d1ec3yb61wxyzx82iobabcbqgosogyto.jpg.jpg?w=1140&amp;project=beastly-boroughs-416041&amp;v=2\" \/><\/p><p>They would have arrived by sea, following the same waters that still surround the Wirral today.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>The villages that grew from those early settlements often stand on slightly higher ground, following the natural ridge that runs through the centre of the peninsula.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Even now, walking between them can feel like following an older route through the land.<\/p>","urlTitle":"the-viking-villages-of-the-ridge","url":"\/blog\/the-viking-villages-of-the-ridge\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/the-viking-villages-of-the-ridge\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/beastlyboroughs.com\/blog\/the-viking-villages-of-the-ridge\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1776355386,"updatedAt":1776355465,"publishedAt":1776355464,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":405864,"name":"Beastly Boroughs"},"tags":[{"id":4551,"code":"the-greengatherer-notes","name":"TheGreengathererNotes","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/the-greengatherer-notes\/"}],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/l0ldoe3dxaflb4xwoqtzp0slwbpnvjapyefpuztpjplycvem.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/l0ldoe3dxaflb4xwoqtzp0slwbpnvjapyefpuztpjplycvem.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/l0ldoe3dxaflb4xwoqtzp0slwbpnvjapyefpuztpjplycvem.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":55976,"title":"Walking the Sands at Meols","url":"\/blog\/walking-the-sands-at-meols\/","urlTitle":"walking-the-sands-at-meols","division":405864,"description":"The tide had already begun to retreat when I reached the shore this morning. &nbsp;Along this stretch of coast near Meols the sea travels a long way out, leaving wide flats of sand stretching toward the horizon.  From the promenade the water can appear distant, almost like another shoreline far beyond the first","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/avzvxen35xcgvxzvfwqknptlsafvzad41bzt364ykk5shhfm.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/avzvxen35xcgvxzvfwqknptlsafvzad41bzt364ykk5shhfm.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":55977,"title":"Meols Shore \u2014 After the Tide","url":"\/blog\/meols-shore-after-the-tide\/","urlTitle":"meols-shore-after-the-tide","division":405864,"description":"Where Ships Once Gathered&nbsp;The shore at Meols can appear quiet now. &nbsp;At low tide the sea retreats far from the land, leaving wide flats of sand stretching toward the horizon.  Gulls drift above the shoreline and the wind moves softly across the grass","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/kiwqrihkvyokmcvjgjl3rfrrm0ontqvmndal0logxi3ru0ii.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/kiwqrihkvyokmcvjgjl3rfrrm0ontqvmndal0logxi3ru0ii.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":55979,"title":"The Ridge That Runs Through the Wirral","url":"\/blog\/the-ridge-that-runs-through-the-wirral\/","urlTitle":"the-ridge-that-runs-through-the-wirral","division":405864,"description":"Walking inland from the coast, the land gradually begins to rise. &nbsp;It is not a steep climb, but a long gentle lift that runs through the centre of the peninsula.  From certain paths along this higher ground, the view opens in two directions \u2014 west toward the Dee estuary and east toward the Mersey","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/hjeqka3pyczkmjewfkp6ptyr8m1tzhjbp2grlmx7wfj7ox7o.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/hjeqka3pyczkmjewfkp6ptyr8m1tzhjbp2grlmx7wfj7ox7o.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}