24 September 2014

We really enjoyed our time in Scotland, but it’s time to head south to Durham. We wanted to see Hadrian’s Wall and one of the Roman forts. First we had to find a town near enough that the TomTom would take the right route. No problem with Google Maps – it knows Hadrian’s Wall, but we were afraid we would lose the data along the way. (We did). Between Google, the TomTom and the atlas, we were pretty sure we could get there. Good roads most of the way. Center lines! Maybe we’re just getting used to driving here.

The view from the border

People “Walk the Wall” – 75 miles in all. (You can buy a t-shirt.) As we approached the fort at Housesteads, we saw people walking across the fields, following the wall. We could also see the fort up on a hill as we approached the parking lot. L4 pay-and-display allows you to park in any of the lots along the way. Another entrance fee for the fort itself. The fort is well presented with signs showing what was the barracks, the hospital, the prefect’s house, etc. The place was used as part of a farm at one point and the stones used to build a grain drying silo. The latrines are still there – reminded me of a place we saw in Israel. As I mentioned on FB, it’s hard to remember that Britain was a Roman outpost for 300 years until the fall of the Empire.

The fort from the bottom of the hill

Overview of the plan

Hadrian's Wall extends on both sides of the fort

Grainery. Note the blocks to raise the floor for air circulation

Columns from the commander's house

Another thing that struck me at the fort was two groups of school kids on field trips. One group was 7-8 years old. The walk from the parking lot to the fort is .5 miles, mostly up a fairly steep hill. They were all walking or running up the hill with no complaints about how steep it was. And not one of them was overweight.

The views from the fort are wonderful, and hard to capture in a camera. This part of England is “big sky country” – farm land with lots of sheep and rolling hills. I did see some llamas today, too.

By the time we got to the hotel south of Durham it was 4 PM. I asked the woman at reception about parking in Durham and she said – “I wouldn’t take my car there”. The bus fare was L4 each, each way. The cathedral does not allow photos. We decided to call it a day and have dinner at the hotel. Another nice piece of salmon on a pea risotto.  

We’re headed to York tomorrow. We will turn in the car on Friday morning and take a train to London that afternoon.