Carlisle and Hadrians wall

It was a long driving day yesterday fromAlexandria on Loch Lomond. It would have been nice to see more of the area - as we really just watched the loch go by from the road and our poor driver didn't even get to do that.  But it really wasn't the weather for hiking and there didn't seem to be another option. Besides you just can't see everything.

So today is a low travel day in Carlisle.  The view out the Ibis window at around 7 am is promising with a square of blue sky - but by the time we are all ready to head out and explore the town the rain is falling and as we venture outside we discover wind that is blowing direct from the North Pole - or at least from the Scottish highlands where there is still snow on the peaks.

Carlisle turns out to be a pretty town with beds of spring flowers dotted throughout.  After an adventure at the post office we forego the cathedral and head straight for the castle.

It seems to be policy to use old castles for army bases - just in case the Scots decide to rebel one more time I suppose. This one clearly contains working barracks as well as a tourist attraction

The castle itself is fairly bleak and empty but has a long history. There has been some kind of fortification on the spot since Roman times.  It was a big deal in the 1100s with King David I, the forticatiosn were redesigned by Henry VIII. I think we got the most from the room where it gave the history of the castle over the Jacobite period - where it changed hands a number of times between Bonnie Prince Charlie with his highlanders and the English under the Duke of Cumberland. Particularly gruesome ends were devised for the remnants of the Jacobite forces.

After a warming cup of tea, we head out again to see Hadrians wall. The original plan is to go to Hexham, but we see a different sign along the way and end up at a different portion of the wall at Birdoswald. Here ther is an excellent visitors centre and the remains of a fort. I had never realized that there were fortresses every mile along the wall - which were the only places you could get through- and lookout turrets spaced more frequently than that.

What amazes us today is that the Romans are still pictured in sandals and tunics. You would have thought that they would have come up with something sturdier. Clearly not being made of nearly such strong stuff we are happier to spend time in the visitors centre than picking our way through the muddy fields beside the wall or examining the foundations of the Roman fort in detail.

After a muddy dash around the foundations of the fort and out to view the surrounding land from the escarpment, we dash back to the warm cocoon of the car.

We enjoy spotting the little lambs - there seem to be a lot of twin lambs - in the surrounding fields. Although we notice on the way back that they see, to be huddling next to the stone walls of their fields (possibly made from stone purloined from Hadrians Wall) rather than gambollin around int the fields...

Time to retreat to the hotel where we polish off the haggis and black pepper flavored crisps I had bought in Scotland (actually quite delicious!).