Hadrian's Wall

This was my second trip to see Hadrian's Wall. The first time was a very cold day in April. In fact it was so cold and we were so not dressed for the occasion that we got out of the car, took a brief look - yep, that's a stone wall all right - and got back in the car to drive off to our next destination. 

This visit in late August was not warm, but a much nicer day for getting out and exploring. The countryside around the wall is beautiful. Does the wall not look very impressive? Interesting facts about the wall:

* It stretched 75 miles across the country

* It was originally 3 meters wide and 6 meters tall in places

* It also originally included wide ditches on each side and some forts

* We can't see it's original state because for years people stole stones from the wall for building

Mike, Camille and Anya went on to explore more of the wall and another Roman fort site.

While Camille, Anya and Mike went on to explore more of Hadrian's Wall, Mom, Dad and I visited Carlisle Castle where we learned all about Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite Rebellion. Please, don't quiz me on it. Carlisle Castle is not the kind of castle where you imagine the beautiful life of past kings and queens. It's more the kind of castle where you shudder imagining the poor people held in the very dreary, dark and drippy prisons.

We also have to take a moment here to laugh at (with?) my poor mother, used to the desert heat of southwest Utah. She took to wearing layers of coats in England. Here she's down to two layers of coats, but doesn't she look a little cold? I think she's missing her third layer back in the car.