It was perfect weather for walking, so we got up early and Ian was underway by 9am, departing from Trinity Leisure Centre in Carlisle.  His goal for today was Banks, about 23 km away.  We arranged the pickup time and location, and went our separate ways.

Being Sunday, it was an easy drive out of Carlisle and before long I had reached my first stop for the day – Lanercost Priory.  I was 30 minutes early so I strolled around the extensive graveyard filled with ancient, leaning headstones, peaceful in the morning sunshine.  Once open, I headed inside. 

For a while, I had the ruins to myself.  It was easy to imagine the monks going about their daily routines.  Founded in 1169, it was home to a small group of Augustinians. Its location close to Hadrian’s Wall had benefits – there was plenty of building material – but it was also in the firing line in the border skirmishes between the English and the Scots.  It was attacked by William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, among others.  King Edward I fell ill whilst resting en route to Carlisle, and remained there for the winter, with a retinue of 200 people.  This, along with the raids, left the priory greatly impoverished.  By the time of the Dissolution of monasteries by Henry VIII, it had almost no income.  In the mid 1500s, Lanercost was converted into a private home. Since then its fortunes have varied, but in the 1930s it was returned to public ownership. 

My next stop was Birdoswald Roman Fort, one of 16 forts established along The Wall.  Much older than Lanercost of course, it sits on one of the longest intact stretches.  It’s a good place to walk from, to get a feel for the trail, if you can’t manage the full distance.  First I walked around the remains of the Fort.  Apart from the excavated ruins of the granary, there are only external walls to see.  These give you an excellent idea of the size of Birdoswald, and its strategic position on a high hill overlooking the Irthing River. The fort, and the trail immediately east and west, were busy with all sorts of walkers – through hikers, weekenders, dog walkers, and mums and dads with kids in tow, who were variously excitedly running around being Romans, or bored to death by the history lessons.  Which is much the way the dogs were as well.

From here I headed west first, across a hayfield and gently downhill to Turret 49B, before retracing my steps.  Then I made my way east to Harrow Scar Milecastle.  From here the trail plunges down many contours to the river gorge, so I decided this was a good stopping place.  I’d seen plenty of Wall, snaking its way across the Cumbrian countryside as it has done for centuries.

My last stop for today was at Banks East, where there is another turret, and a signal tower.  More importantly there’s a car park, and this was our pickup point.  I sat in the warmth of the sun, on top of The Wall, looking at the gorgeous rural scenery.  White sheep with black faces contentedly chewed away. A steady stream of walkers and sightseers drifted past.

You may wonder what Captain Kumamon has been doing … well when we suggested he hike the length of the trail, he rolled his eyes and went back to sleep.  But he has agreed to short forays, as long as they have an educational context.  So he accompanied me today.  Those stubby legs weren’t meant for walking.  Being a seafarer, he relates more to the Vikings than he does to the Romans, but he also admires a decent bit of engineering, so he was happy to have a close look at The Wall, before his afternoon nap.