Housesteads to the Sill

What a day, I was firm in my intention to walk to Housesteads. Talking to another hosteller, she helped me change my mind and suggested because of the weather, and the last bus coming back is at 4.45pm, then I wouldn't want to be anxious of getting the bus back. That made sense to me. She suggested the route is quite up and down so suggested I bus to Housesteads and walk back.

I decided to do it this way and was so glad I did. I had left the hostel around 10 a.m. by bus which wasn't too far, and, walking, got back at 6 p.m. so it was quite the walk. Only 13 kms but the rain, wind, mud, rivers just made it so much harder to navigate. But I did it and was so so delighted to be walking beside that amazing old wall. A very thick wall compared with the dry stane dikes this wall was very thick...

According to English Heritage the stone wall, had a maximum height of about 15 feet (4.6 metres), was 10 Roman feet (3 metres) wide. Wide enough for there to have been a walkway along the top, and perhaps also a parapet wall. The turf sector was 20 Roman feet (6 metres) wide. Just amazing.

It's thought to have taken three legions of infantrymen, each legion being around 5000 men, from the army of Britain around six years to complete the Wall. The legionary soldiers were responsible for major construction tasks like building stone forts and bridges.

It is a remote and exposed place high above the farm lands and I felt a trifle sorry for the soldiers who had to stand guard to keep out the barbarians from the North. The soldiers weren't only Roman, they had come from all over Europe wanting to be part of the Roman Empire. After 25 years of service they would be granted Roman Citizenship!!

I was amazed again at the craftspersonship on display in the museum here as well producing very delicate ornaments, jewellry, housewares as well as the huge tools, tablets, statues that adorned the place. Also about the commander's quarters...Huge compared with the barracks, even the floors in the commanders home were heated by huge fires that were kept burning underneath the floors.

Another huge day out in the weather, but so happy to have crossed that off my bucket list!! Getting to Sycamore Gap was quite a feat as well going up the stone stairs round corners down rivers of stones, through mud puddles galore, but how fascinating. I must watch the movie now (Robin Hood) that people say the tree at the gap is featured within. Who knew!!
https://youtu.be/0uswBx_cKaA?t=8 (to see a video of the tree!)Read more