Friday 17th August Hadrians Wall Northumberland

Woke up to rain again & was immensely disinclined to venture out, so made slow work of breakfast chatting to host H. The view from their place is over the sands & they & 4 other neighbours bought 1.5 acres over the road to prevent their view being built out. Seemed like a good idea, she & another of the group have polytunnels for vegies, you can't see them from the road as the road is higher, in fact it's hard to imagine that it could be built on as looks like it would be subject to flood, but you never know, developer may go Venetian style with pylons.

View from the B&B over the sands

Finally had to make a move & set off in the rain to the north east & after 2 or so hours reached part of Hadrians wall, the Great Wall of China it is not, but despite all the warnings that there was nothing there just a few rocks,  I found it very interesting, I went to the Roman Fort which is an entire settlement although how they decided what each building was from what remained I don't know. The most intact was the latrines for some reason.  Lots of walkers & holiday makers out , lots of Germans for some reason,  despite the rain.....they are probably used to it & would get nothing done if they waited for fine weather! I wonder how many of the stones from the wall ended up in the drystone walling which abounds everywhere. Apparently some chap in the past bought up farms along the wall to prevent any further destruction, presume at some stage it has all some to the National Trust as they look after it now....and the sheep who poop all over the paths, they particularily like the crusherdust paths, not so much the bigger gravel!

Obvious, Hadrians Wall

Part of the Roman fort at Housesteads

Latrines of Roman fort Hadrians Wall 

Wallington Hall Cambo Northumberland

Garden bed in walled garden Wallington

When the baronet was a Labour member

The countryside is rolling green, green, green, very beautiful, even at the end of summer.

I was then heading for Cragside, another NT place but sawWallington Hall on the way so went there instead, once again lots of visitors. Very interesting place, seat of the Trevelyan family. The 3rd baronet started off as a LIberal politican then became Labour, quite a scandal - this was in the 1920's. Anyway house not the best bit although lots of interest in portraits & china ect, I loved the walled garden & river walk. Just the sort of garden I would do if I had unlimited water & space

By then afternoon was gone & I headed for my next B&B in Morpeth, on the way went past Mitford Hall in the cutest little village of Mitford, I wondered if it had anything to do with the Mitford sisters, Nancy et al.

Arrived fine at  B&B, host Sharon lovely lady who had a sister in Adelaide, welcomed me with a cup of tea & showed me the ropes. I walked down to the Sun Inn for tea, had fish & chips, now very full.