Saturday 9th July

Only had to drive 70 miles today but the landscape was very different to that which we have been through previously. There were large forests some of which was in the felling/replanting stages. Lots of high areas where we could see the surrounding countryside.

Mary performed admirably as the B&B on Hadrien’s Wall is on a real backroad – only one way in parts. But Mary eventually said “You are at your destination” and sure enough on the right was Quarryside B&B. We have a lovely big room, queen size bed and two chairs to sit and read on. Windows on two walls overlook the farmland and we can see for miles in both directions. Jannie needed a lie down for a bit as she felt a bit seedy and after she got up we went down the road to a lovely restaurant for lunch. After this we went for a drive to have a look and to stand on Hadrien’s Wall. We went to Birdoswald where there was a Roman Fort. It showed the original turf wall and great sections of the wall both east and west. Lots of tourists here and walkers everywhere. You can walk and camp at places all along the wall. Anyway we got to stand on the wall. There were sentry boxes every mile and forts every 10 miles. There were long delays when the wall was being built and they don’t know for what reason. Hadrien seemed like a charismatic fellow and spent most of his time amongst the troups rather than be with the elite and the gentry.

We went on to the Roman museum and then The Roman Vindllanda which is an ongoing excavation. (Thought of Jim and all his enthusasium for this sort of stuff) Took a different route home and the roads we had been over this afternoon were rather narrow and even had passing bays so cars could pass, called "passing places". We had the biggest thunder storm with little rain but on the way home it poured and thankfully we didn’t have to get out of the car. The poor walkers that would have been out in this stuff. Something else we would not have on our bucket list! By the time we went to dinner the sun was out and we enjoyed our prawn salad once again.