Hadrian's Wall (6/8)

 

In August 2009 we walked the full length of the Hadrian's Wall footpath from Wallsend in Newcastle on the east coast of England to Bowness-on-Solway on the west coast, a distance of 84 miles.

  

 

 

 

 

After a night at Greenhead, we headed west again. I am on the bridge over the River Irthing at Willowford. The Romans built a bridge near this spot too, some elements of which remain, the course of the river having shifted slightly since.

In 1999 this award-winning metal bridge was lowered into place by helicopter, because the archaeology of the surrounding site was so sensitive. The east side of the bridge had to be lower than the west side - as the river banks were at different elevations. Move the mouse cursor over the image to see a fuller view of the bridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Birdoswald Fort is less than a mile west of the bridge at Willowford. We took refreshments here before looking round.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here I am hobnobbing with some Roman centurions at a re-enactment day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This spot just west of Birdoswald provides a good view of the Vallum, part of the overall structure of Hadrian's Wall, which runs along the south side of the wall itself. Was it a defence against attacks from the south? Or a trap for anyone who might breach the wall from the north, only to be attacked from the milecastles? Nobody is certain of its function.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We spent two nights in Brampton at the lovely Oakwood Park Hotel, with a very wet Sunday's walking in between through teeming Cumbrian rain apart from a three-hour lunch with local friends at the very nice Salutation Inn in Irthington. After our second night in Brampton, we picked up the path again at Crosby-on-Eden, this time in sunshine.

Here I am outside Linstock Castle, not far from Carlisle. This was a 'pele tower' to which local families would retreat for safety during the raids across the Anglo-Scottish border roughly 700 years ago. The havoc wrought on both sides of the border by such raiders (reivers) gave us the word 'bereavement'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crossing our second major trunk road as we approach Carlisle, this is the M6.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After an overnight stay in a B&B near the centre of Carlisle we made our way to the castle. Henry I of England ordered the castle to be built in 1122 and being so close to the border between England and Scotland has been involved in many wars and invasions throughout the subsequent history.

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