Hadrian's Wall

Just ten miles from Lancaster we returned to lush pastures in varying shades of green dotted with fields of yellow or brown depending on their stages of crop development. Wind farms were contributing to the green factor of a different kind.

We have marvelled at the miles of stone fences in this country. Tons of chiselled stone, skill, strength, & many hours of labour have been needed to build perfectly formed fences. Most are centuries old, some more recent.

At Eamon Bridge we found the remains of King Arthur's Round Table, a Neolithic earthwork henge dated 2500 BC. A wide ditch enclosed a flat area containing a low circular platform. Surrounding the ditch was an earthen embankment. It is believed the site was used as King Arthur's jousting arena at a much later date.

The construction of Carlisle Castle began during the 12th century by King Henry I at the western end of the Anglo-Scottish border. The project was completed by King David I. He died there in 1153. The castle had a violent history which included medieval assaults, a civil war siege & bore witness to Bonnie Prince Charles Jacobite Rising of 1745. Of interest were the 15th century carvings said to be the artistic endeavours of prison guards. The preserved signs & symbols were remarkable given most people of the era were illiterate. The remnants of a Roman altar, which had been used as a lintel in a medieval doorway, was discovered as recently as 1987. The Latin inscription records a dedication to Jupiter, Juno & other gods. Also visible were a pair of clasped hands within a wreath of leaves. It is dated 213 AD. The castle remained the headquarters of the Border Regiment until 1959. The British Army continues to occupy a section of the site.

In 122 AD,  Roman Emperor Hadrian ordered the building of a 16 foot high wall across the northernmost boundary from Wallsend on Tyne to Bowness on the Solway Firth. Hadrian's Wall was planned as a continuous defensive wall measuring 731 miles in length with a milestone castle every Roman mile & two turrets equally spaced between each milestone castle. In 1987 UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site.

Birdoswald, known as Banna, is one of the best preserved forts of Hadrian's Wall. Three main gates, perimeter walls, angle towers, granaries & drill hall were traceable. Also visible was a 5th century timber hall, a medieval fortified tower & an Elizabethan farmhouse.






We accepted a welcome to Scotland at 16:39. North of Lockerbie, plantations of Douglas Fir shadowed our journey for approximately forty miles & acres of wind farms filled every available exposed ridge. The Clyde River appeared to be unhurried, a lot like us, as it meandered through the Clyde Valley.

Our destination was Edingurgh. Our arrival at Queen's Guest House wasn't without incident. Shortly after check-in a blown fuse created panic for the manager. Without electricity the water pump was disabled & security was compromised for about an hour. The size of our lodgings rivals that of our London base. We estimate its floorspace measures 4.5 m x 2.4 m. This includes the bathroom! It's compact! It's cosy! It's clean! It has heating! It's our base for the next three days.

PS Additional photos of the Hare & Hound pub have been uploaded to Tuesday, June 26.