We joined the Pennine Way once again, walking along Hadrian’s Wall. It was a much shorter walk, but with steep paths up and down (and some scrambles) which were not so different from the SW Coastal Path in Cornwall. The views were extensive, and it was interesting to see how the natural cliffs and escarpments were incorporated in the building of this amazing wall – to keep out those marauding Scots! Our accommodation for the night is at the Twice Brewed Inn, in remote countryside, renowned for being a dark sky area for stargazing. It is a shame that today is cloudy!

A Backward Glance

Though we’re not at the border with Scotland yet, the flavour of things to come is all around us. We’ve recently noticed some ‘Scottish Thistles’ that have escaped into Blighty and we’re being served porridge in salt water now. Us English have never got on with our neighbours, but up here there’s a great big long wall to emphasise the point. To be sure, the wall never was intended to be a border between the Scottish (uncivilised Caledonians) and us (the well bred recently educated folk South of it) but the great Roman Empire knew it had met its match up here. Historians are not agreed on why Roman dominance didn’t extend itself just those extra few miles North and complete the job. Some argue it was the taste of their Haggis, others that it was the sound of their Bagpipes; but both sides agree that the sight of red hairy legged men wearing short skirts and no underwear proved too much for the greatest army on earth at the time. Emperor Hadrian can be forgiven for believing these people with such bad taste in cooking, music and dress sense were uneducable and best kept at a distance. The walking was very hilly alongside the wall and I did notice there were no paths on the North/Scottish side of it, just barbed wire! Clearly deep down the same fears keep us awake at nights even now, but maybe Nicola Sturgeon can take some credit for that too.

I would like to thank the above beautiful weird individuals for sending me Father’s Day greetings again today! You make us feel proud and we both love you to bits. x x