Day 7: Sandysike - Carlisle
Weather: Mostly dry, odd shower
Distance Walked: 12 miles
Different Beers Sampled: 3
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| Sandysike looking South to the Lakes & Pennines |
Morning! Penultimate days walking. The sun was shinning. Porridge and coffee had been consumed in sufficient quantities. Time to leave the basic, but cozy camping barns and their eccentric owners behind. Our night at Sandysike had proved to be eventful, let's hope the days walking was as well. Classic Hadrian's
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| Cam Beck Weir |
Wall country was now behind us, as were the hills and crags. As we walked, the Cumbrian countryside opened up into green fields and then the flood planes and water of the River Eden. It was nigh on flat from here. Our packs seemed less heavy as well. Fitter, or just numb to the pain?!
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| Vallum on North Wall Nr Newtown |
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| Mmmmmm...... Inside Stall-on-Wall Bleatarn Farm |
The remnants of Roman occupation were more subtle, such as the path following the North Ditch of the Vallum near Newtown; interesting & picturesque though in their own right. A welcome modern addition to the Wall, was the Stall-on-the Wall at Bleatarn Farm , packed full of goodies. You can also camp here, which we didn't, having only been walking for 2hrs, but you could if you wanted.
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| Don't mind if I do! The Stag Inn |
After about 3hrs of gentle walking the path enters Crosby-on-Eden and The Stag Inn. It would be rude not to, especially as the sun was shinning! As with a lot of rural pubs, there seems to be a fashion for small stuffed dead things and the Stag Inn, does indeed have a Stag's head. Thankfully we could sit outside. Beer was well kept. Lunch was the Potato & Butter pie [a Northern special!] we had carried from Bramptom and ale was supplied by Jennings. Pie and Ale. Perfect marching food. Our new Dutch friends [although they live in Manchester!] had also stopped so lunchtime gossip was to be had as well.
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| David and our new Dutch companions Stag Inn, Crosby |
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| M6 Modern Day Chariot Racing |
Post lunch saw us head across fields, along the Eden, before crossing the M6 and venturing into the suburbs of Carlisle. Penultimate stamp for our Hadrian's Wall Passport was at the Sands Centre. No great ancient architectural sights here, but there is an impressive series of metal plates outside demonstrating the sites of the main Roman Forts along the Wall. It did, however, provide time to have a cup of tea and some cake. Always a good thing. Found out Vettel had just won the Italian FI Grand Prix. No surprise there. Being in a city, we were staying a YHA. But not just any hostel, Old Brewery Residence which was once home to the Theakstones Brewery. Quite fitting really! But we couldn't check in until 16.00hrs, so we had a mooch around town.
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| Old Brewery Residence |
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| Carlisle Castle |
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| The man who started it all |
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| Attack! |
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| Some things never change! |
An interesting museum, with not just Roman artifacts, but social and political history of Carlisle, art galleries and wildlife galleries. There were even interactive exhibits. The Roman shield was not particularly heavy on it's own, but I can imagine it felt that way after a days marching / fighting. What I was impressed with was the public underpass near the museum. Usually grotty and smelling of wee, this one was all 'pimped up'! A hot shower and food beckoned, so we checked into the YHA and headed back out into the city in search of food once cleansed. Now after 7 days walking, with packs, I had been fantasising about pizza and one of the first places we came across was a pizza place; so we had a Happy Hour Pizza at Franco's . Very tasty [and cheap] it was too. I was feeling quite tired by now, so a quick stroll around Carlisle, accompanied by a cheeky pint and a bag of chips [I've expanded a lot of energy over the past week!] before crashing out early at the YHA. Last full day walking tomorrow......
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| Underpass next to Tullie House |
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