Hadrian’s Wall

North Shields is the Eastern end  of Hadrian’s Wall and Carlisle is the west.  Having been to both I longed to stand on the middle and gaze north as Romans did 2000 years ago.  I’m guessing the view has not changed.  Well, fewer trees.

I caught the train from Carlisle to Hexham which seemed like a good, central spot for wandering.

Right by Carlisle RR station there are the old city gates.  I spent a few days in this town on a previous trip and found it better than I was lead to believe.  With Roman works, a large and well  kept castle, museums, a cathedral and great art galleries it has a lot to commend itself.  It is also an important rail hub.

Apparently there would be at least one hen party in Newcastle today and the ladies were starting early.  Couldn’t help noticing the placement of the inflation valve!

There is a dedicated bus route from Hexham that stops at many of the Roman ruins and along the wall which turned out to be super convenient.

First stop in Hexham though was the Abby.

In some of these old churches one finds volunteers who seem to have very detailed info about their church.  For example, I was told once in Liverpool Cathedral, the largest in Britain, that the ceiling is so high at one point you could fit Nelsons’s Column in side.  If he removed his hat!

The elderly gentleman I met gave me a very detailed tour.

I was told that these “Dances of Death”paintings are important survivors (of Henry VIII & the Puritans) dating from the 15th century, are some of the rarest in the country.

And that there was once an underground entrance to the crypt where pilgrims paid to venerate relics of saints.  The underground route was so that paying pilgrims wouldn’t disturb service above.

And some of the rocks used were from demolished Roman forts and other structures

And for the bishop when he visited

From Hexham center I hopped the bus to a visitor’s center describing the wall area and began to trace Roman footsteps.

There are many thoughts on the ‘why’ of the wall,  allum Aelium or Vallum Hadriani in Latin.  Begun in 122 AD and sitting well inside England, it never was designed to be a border between England & Scotland.  Historians today think the wall’s purpose was to both impress northerners by it’s sheer immensity (80 miles in length) and to give Rome better control over immigration, smuggling  and customs.

Standing on the way, as wide as a two lane road in some places, the views are breathtaking.

Whether looking North towards Scotland

Or looking south into England

The Romans built forts against the wall every few miles eventually totaling 15 forts

Veni, Vidi, I sinistram

People yea, sheep no

One of the largest remaining fort areas is Chester.  Along the Hexham bus route and free with my English Heritage pass purchased in Dover Castle it houses a museum too.

OK, this is from the earlier visitor center but since it was a good mounting of a pair of capercaillie and the only thing worth a photo there, I include it here.

I met a nice couple in the museum.  What started our conversation was her wheelchair.  It had the ability to raise her up to eye level.  It must be a big boost in self worth to not always have to look at the world from a chair. She had suddenly risen next to me to see something from a better angle.  During the conversation I had told her of a couple of beaches I had seen, Jersey for one, where those in wheelchairs could rent at no charge wheeled beach chairs with really fat tires for the sand of which she heartily approved.

 

Now to the fort.  It is helpful when there are posters depicting what would have been.  Otherwise the foundational remains are less impressive since you don’t actually know what you are seeing other than a pile of rocks.

The size of the layout & the quality of 2000 year old masonry work is impressive to say the least. Notice how straight and clean the lines are.

And this was on the wall of the loo.

They had a system of running water to flush although I could not ascertain how the effluence was handled.

After 10 miles on the hoof, I was parched but since I had 20 minutes before the next train in Hexham, I hot-footed to a Morrison’s for a 4-pack pf Boddington’s to have on the train.  A very smooth favorite that I once had by the keg in Wareham, Ma, the bee tells us it’s from Manchester. And I had apparently missed another hen party.

Carlisle does something interesting to save lives.  On Saturday nights (bank holidays too I guess) one of the main streets is simple shut to vehicle traffic so that all the Hens & Stags partying up and down the street don’t get hit by cars. How brilliantly un-PC.  Rather than attempt to curb the partying, restrict the cars! And on a Saturday night the place is crazy, in a good way.