After that experience I spent a couple of days around Kielder Water, largest reservoir in Europe. It’s 27 miles round so I didn’t attempt to walk it and even turned down the chance to try an electric bicycle tour. Probably served me right to get attacked by midges in the evening, just as I was sewing an anti midge curtain together too.
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| Kielder Water |
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| Kielder Water |
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| Kielder Pillar, one of many art installations |
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| Scene of midge attack |
Since then I have been coming across Hadrian’s Wall at regular intervals and visited Chesters fort today which was where cavalry from northern Spain were based. It must have been a climatic shock for them even if the soldiers did share their living accommodation with their horses which may have given some warmth, three of each to a compartment in the barracks. Fortunately they did have a good bath house. The water drained into the river. This weekend there is to be an enactment there involving cavalry which I hope to be able to watch.
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| Chesters |
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| Barracks for horses and men |
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| Bath house |
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| Bath house notice |
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| River crossing with section of wall remaining opposite |
Aydon Castle was originally built as a Manor House circa 1300 by Robert de Raymes, a Suffolk landowner who decided to relocate in order to acquire a barony. He probably also expected to gain further favour fighting the Scots. However in 1306 Robert the Bruce seized the Scottish throne and thereafter the Aydon area was regularly raided and the castle pillaged and burnt more than once in spite of belatedly adding some defences. The family may have come to regret the move. After quite a few changes of ownership, eventually it served as a somewhat draughty farmhouse right up until 1966 when it was handed over to the Ministry of Works, and now to English Heritage. It is on a domestic scale which makes it easier to imagine living there.
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| Aydon Castle |
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| Aydon Castle |
I shall be metal detecting again this weekend so need to practise listening to the locals.
