Hadrian's Wall part 3

The walk became more challenging as we entered the National Park, but it also became very scenic and lovely. Where it was steep, steps had been put into the cliffs in the shape of large boulders, and where it was boggy there were flagstones. I am timid and slow downhill but made up speed where it was fairly flat. But sadly on this day it rained, and we walked all the way to Housesteads before it stopped at about 2 p.m. and I was drenched and didn't think it fun.

However, when it stopped we went on and had a good walk to the Sill, which was a massive tourist centre in the national park, where we could get tea and look at the exhibits until our bus came along and took us to the pub, and again we went to the pub before we caught another bus to the accommodation, which turned out to be an entire holiday cottage to ourselves, with comfortable settee and telly. Taking the bus like this didn't mean we cheated, it was just to get to the accommodation which was booked at the last minute and was at Haltwhistle, way off the track.

It was grim

But it got better later

This wall is a farm wall on the line of the Roman wall, which was MUCH taller and wider.

We met more Americans on this day, and we liked them very much, they were very game to come to the North. They were only doing the middle part of the walk, with the Roman camps. Gretchen and I (for her name was Gretchen) both considered the wall to be a terrible waste of resources, for the enemy the Romans were defending themselves against was only a badly-organised group of tribespeople who didn't even have any armour. The wall was also a training camp for auxiliaries like the ones in my book (Island of Ghosts, see previous post) and I think probably a punishment posting too, for cohorts whose loyalty wobbled. It was a customs barrier (Donald Trump might like to take a look at it for ideas - milecastles every mile and two watchtowers between them, evenly spaced.) but really, what had to be controlled that was so important? It was enormously impressive but who were they impressing? either just the locals or possibly the new recruits to the Roman empire - their own soldiers. 

The next day we walked to Gilsland and stayed at Green Croft, an air bnb which was actually on the route, and where we got advice for care of our blisters - and some Ibuprofen. Had Amanda been a nurse? I enquired, and no, she had been a dancer and knew how to push on when your feet hurt. Dancing is not a career for softies. We ate at a restaurant with a really terrible ambience where you feel as though you have to speak quietly, and the waitresses were very intrusive, as though the whole experience was about them. Much preferred the raucus chips-with-everything pub the night before. 

The next day we walked to Crosby on Eden, by way of Birdoswald Roman Fort, which I remember as interesting, but by now I didn't take any picures.

Think this is the river Eden

Very large blocks at Birdosward probably came from a monument somewhere.

We had left the moorland behind and the farmland was spectacular.

To cut a long story short, we arrived at Carlisle and were not very impressed with it, had to find our bnb and leave our luggage and then do the walk out of town - very, very boring! and then take two buses back in again. We spent quite a lot of time in Tourist Information discussing bus services. On the next day, started by taking the two buses again, then walked to the end point at Solway on Firth which was about 13 miles away, and we were pretty crippled by then but the walk was pleasant and flat, so we DID IT and then took the 93 bus back to Carlisle, and the next day took the train back home. Carlisle station is pretty special though.

Here is a statue we saw at Burgh, where we also looked at the church. This was a very successful King of England, who loved his wife, Queen Elinor.

This King. Edward 1, died of diptheria here and was carried home

The estuary - can be dangerous when tides are high.

This was once a lock at Port Carlisle, but Carlisle never became a port.

At the very end of the walk was a celebratory promenade with a mosaic floor designed by the local primary school, showing a group of sea birds and some fish. A tribute to the Romans.

 But the amazing thing about the Roman occupation was that they stayed for about 300 years, but when they left, everything advanced (architecture, water management, literacy) fell into disuse or disrepair. The British were completely unable to copy and pass on any of their skills. This is strange and very sad.