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That’s it for this trip

545 km 5301m

Although not famous some bits of the Galloway coast are very scenic, there is a lot of visible history because there is little later industrialisation and very quiet roads if a bit further between towns than the rest of the uk.

Could not see of of Hadrians wall in 2 days but good to see some of the surrounding castles and hope to walk the central wall as part of the Pennine way and continue the coastal cycle west of Carlisle.

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Journeys end with bridges on the Tyne

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All the medieval buildings round here were built with Roman stones - from time to time sculptures are found when buildings are repaired - these are the 2 most famous The Hexham cavalry man and the Corbridge lion

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Hexham Abbey - many different periods but got into the crypt which is 7c so not too long after the Romans

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First view of the upper Tyne - water flowing east which was a good sign

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Day 7 Twice Brewed to Newcastle

84k 968m

4 castles, 3 Peel towers, an Abbey and a Roman fort.

Excellent campsite with a kitchen & coffee for breakfast. Very steep start to the day round the site of Vindola where an excavation was going on and then down and up the upper Tyne valley sides to see a castle quite testing with tent & panniers. Planned to see several castles but the English heritage ones were shut & the outside views not ideal. PM cycle down the Tyne was on excellent ex railway cyclepaths, surprisingly rural until quite close to the town and then on the quay side with a lot of people in the sun.

Have made it to the station just hoping the train companies are having a good day.

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New Helmet for Hadrians way. Most people think he was mainly into chariots & dry stone walling but he must have been a keen cyclist to have his own cycle way

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Tent up before tonight’s rain

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Wall at Windsills gap

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Not sure who built the roads around here

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Lanercost Abbey and a new embroidery duplicating their William & May Morris

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Day 6 Carlisle to Twice Brewed

67k 1000m

3 castles, 3 medieval towers on Roman foundations, one Abbey and a long wall

Legs a bit tired but after first 20k in pleasant countryside but with few sights ( the wall near Carlisle has mainly been washed away) the sights then came thick and fast so legs improved.

Lanercost priory very impressive, as a Romantic ruin, with impressive 19c arts and crafts embellishments and as a historical sight - it was where Edward I planned his campaigns in Scotland and for several years the administrative centre of the English empire.

And then multiple wall sights - involved quite a bit of ups and downs - the main forts are on a Roman road a few Kms south of the wall, the wall has its own collection of famous viewpoints and the medieval castles and towers (which often use Roman stone) are dotted around - usually up hills.

Rain is forecast so good to get the tent up in the dry.

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The Lochmaben stone - a standing stone in the ‘debatable lands, inbetween ancient Alba, Westmorland & Northumbria- was used later as a meeting spot to exchange hostages & rustled cattle. Is on alluvial soil so must have been transported a long way to get here.

The Ruthwell cross ‘the finest’ pre-10c carving in North Europe - amazing to find it still in situ & not in a museum. It’s Northumbrian in style so a mystery why it’s here. Was originally outside but smashed up in the reformation & reconstructed inside in the 19c

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Caerlaverock castle - one of the strongest in Scotland, uniquely triangular and unusually for a low land castle in Scotland mainly built by Scots rather than English. After Edward 1 captured it he gave it to Roger de Clifford so linked to Skipton. The tea shop was giving free ‘reject’ scones to cyclists which were excellent!

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The view across to Skiddaw in the lakes at low and high tide - the water came in very fast

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Bridge over the Nith at Dumfries