Today I travelled about 80 miles north, avoiding the motorway so that I could see the countryside. It takes a lot longer to get to your destination but is so much more interesting. My destination was Birdoswald Roman Fort, a part of Hadrian’s Wall.
It amazes me how much they can learn from ruins like these, and wandering through the fort gave me a very “Time Team” feeling. There is a big, square perimeter wall with a number of gates in it. The part that has mainly been excavated is the granaries, long storehouses with raised floors which could store up to a year’s supply of food.
I noticed that many of the visitors had walking poles and backpacks. There are walking paths all along the wall and I saw people disappearing into the distance as they walked through a field beside the wall. It looked like a pleasant walk here but some sections would be a nightmare, if not downright dangerous.
On my way to Corbridge I saw a sign to a Roman Army Museum so of course I turned off for a look. There were all sorts of examples of army paraphernalia but the thing I liked best was a film about Roman army life which included a lot of aerial footage of the wall. I was surprised at how much is left and amazed at the construction, in all kinds of terrain, of this 4.6 metre high wall.
I have been so lucky with the weather and today was no exception. It started to rain just as I was getting my luggage out of the car and the heavens opened a couple of seconds after I stepped inside the door. Just made it!
What great constructions- it is fantastic to see them so clearly after so many centuries.
ReplyDeleteSuch a peaceful video. You just want to take the experience home with you😊. An iconic piece of English history. Those Romans were a long way from home.
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