The High Road to Linton

Linton lies in the Scottish Borders, and the high road was probably the old drove road over the Pentland Hills from West Linton, used to drive Highland cattle south to English markets and nicknamed "The Thieves' Road" for the robbers who worked it. Some think the title is a corruption of "The High Road to London," but Scottish researchers favour Linton.

The reel was in print by the 1790s, in Archibald Duff's collection of 1794 and Robert Mackintosh's of 1796, both in two parts. A family story in West Linton credits it to James Dickson (1827 to 1908), but the printings are older than he was. Sessions now usually play four parts, and it has travelled to Shetland, Ireland, Northumberland and Prince Edward Island under other names.