Great Britain Trip – Wednesday, Day 4 – Arriving at The Lake District

Before we left Carlisle this morning we changed our plans. We were originally going to leave Carlisle and head south straight to Keswick, our base in the Lake District for the next three days. However, we decided to begin our day heading 20 miles east to visit the Roman frontier fort Vindolanda and a portion of Hadrians Wall. I am glad we did.

The boys and I are huge fans of Roman history. All of us listened to a podcast several years ago called “The History of Rome” that consisted of more than 100 hours of narrative that detailed the rise and fall of the Roman Empire from 700 B.C. to 700 A.D. So, yes, we are all Roman history nerds.

The park, the grounds, the two museums, and the section of Hadrians Wall that we walked were worth the visit. We visited for four hours, but could have remained much longer.

Vindolanda was built on the edge of the Roman Empire. The first settlement there occurred between 74 and 85 A.D. By the time the Romans left the area in the early fifth century, no fewer than nine successive forts and towns had been built on the site. It was established before Hadrians Wall, which was begun in the 120s. At its height, Vindolanda supported a population of 5,000 people. So, it was a very important fortification to help the Romans protect its most northern boundary. And to put things into perspective, Vindolanda served as an important fortress for Rome much longer (400 years) than the United States has been in existence.

The remains at Vindolanda were well enough preserved to justify large scale excavation, which continues to this day. So many treasures were excavated, including writing tablets, that the two museums on site contain thousands of amazing artifacts. In addition, the rolling terrain and hills surrounding the site are absolutely beautiful.

I will be back. Our hiking group that hiked The Camino in 2019 and The Rheinsteig in 2021 plans to hike Hadrians Wall in 2023. So, our brief hike along Hadrians Wall today whetted my appetite for our amazing hike along the Wall next year!

After our visit to Vindolanda, we drove one hour south and checked into our cottage in Keswick, England. After walking around Keswick, we ordered pizza, which we enjoyed with wine and beer on our back terrace overlooking the Greta River, which flows through Keswick. After dinner, we drove to the Casterligg Stone Circle, a Neolithic Stone Circle believed to have been put in place 4,500 years ago. It was a tranquil ending to a busy day….