Hadrian’s Wall Country.

Our chariot to Housesteads Fort. Aptly numbered AD 122 when the building of the fort began.

Todays destination was Housesteads Roman Fort mid way between Carlisle and Newcastle upon Tyne. Our chariot (bus aptly numbered AD122) picked us up at the gate and whisked us up and down narrow roads through villages and other fortified Roman sites. Majority of the passengers on the bus were hikers who were working their way along Hadrians Wall from one site to the next which were generally only 3 or 4 miles apart. Places with names of Once Brewed, Vindolanda and the Roman museum. The wall was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.

East to West across Housesteads Roman Fort.

Dot tries out a Roman loo.

Drainage system collecting water for the toilets.

As we are not members of National Trust there was an admission fee of £4.50 each. Walking up to the fort it didn’t appear that big but once onto the site we soon realised that there was more than met the eye. Newcastle upon Tyne University have done many archaeological digs  and each time revealing more and more each time. With a site covering 5 acres there has been plenty to discover.

One line of soldiers barracks holding 80 men.

This was the Granary. A wooden floor was built on the stone piles to avoid damp and vermin.

Housesteads Roman fort covers 5 acres.

Two thousand years ago and we find that the Romans were very much into cleanliness, water reticulation and sewage waste. With bath houses where each bath was hotter than the next until the last bath which was a shuddering cold dip. Channels around buildings to catch rain water and divert it to the latrines to flush everything away probably to a cesspit at the bottom of the hill,while the remainder was channelled away through underground culverts.

Hadrians Wall stretching along the hillside. Varying from 6-8 foot wide it is distinctly different from the dry stone walls that cover the countryside.  The Romans certainly knew how to build.

Hadrians Wall running along the crest of the hill.

Roman hand basin maybe?

The latrines. A wooden bench around the walls over the pit was the communal toilet.

When it came time to go back to camp our scheduled bus failed to arrive and as time went by it became clear that we would have to wait another hour for the next one. However, just after we caught our bus another bus passed us and it turned out that it hadn’t followed the scheduled route leaving many passengers stranded out in the middle of nowhere until the next bus. Luckily it was a fine day so people didn’t mind too much about the delay.

Far reaching views from Housestead Fort on top of the hill.

Gypsy Rover at Whittlees farm CL, Gilsland.