2 October. Cloudy and then the rain snuck up when it was too late for gear.

Have accustomed ourselves to warm dry weather we did not take rain gear on the walk. I had a poncho in the car; QB preferred her polar tech jacket. Very windy.

More dry stone wall today. A very old wall, named Hadrian’s.

One approaches the major remaining section of the wall from a very straight Roman, now metaled (Brits seem to call Tarmac roads metaled ) road. It was the military road of course. The wall run on the top of an escarpment with a very steep drop off on the side facing Scotland.

The section pictured has a clear view of Scotland on a clear day.

Walking the wall it is hard to understand why it was built. The sheer drop and steep sides facing North would have been an almost impossible barrier. The three foot high wall could hardly have mattered. Can just imagine the labor force saying “what the Hades is Hadrian thinking?” maybe stronger thoughts and language.

Returned to Hexam to see the abbey church. Built as a cathedral Henry VIII took possession for it’s wealth. Romanesque in design.

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