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Part VII
1st June - Thursday
Goodbye Liz and Lucy and thank you so much for the hospitality. Off across ‘the tops’ or the Pennines to the northeast of England and “home” for Linda today.
Howard got a short piece of the M6 motorway to start the day and then we were heading inland to Appleby-in-Westmorland
Appleby Fair, held each June in the town of Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria, is probably the best known of the horse fairs attended by Romany families travelling to meet up with old friends and conduct business. Appleby Fair itself, which has existed since 1685 under the protection of a charter granted by James II, survived an attempt at closure by Westmorland Borough Council in 1965. The autumn fair at Brough, also in Cumbria, has a charter date of 1330, and these two, the largest and most popular in the North of England.
We had just missed the Fair but saw many gypsy caravans parked at the side of the road in this part of the country. Gypsies set up camp where ever they want by the look of it and the councils have a hard time moving them on if they outstay
their welcome. Some councils even provide them with portable toilets for the duration of their stay! We thought it best not to take photos!
We found some lovely C roads as we headed to Hartside Pass and up into the North Pennines. Sadly it was in the clouds so we could not see as far as we would have liked
From Melmerby, the road climbs the Hartside Pass to a height of 1904 ft (577 m) from where there are magnificent views across the Solway Firth to Scotland. This long and steep climb also forms part of the Sea to Sea Cycle Route. From the viewpoint at the Hartside Top cafe, you can see Helvellyn, Great Gable, Skiddaw, and in Southern Scotland - Criffel. An information plaque names the mountains that can be seen. The road continues to Alston, England's highest market town.
We stopped in Alston for soon bread rolls to go with our soup but thought the town streets far too steep for us to walk around!
High up in the North Pennines, Alston claims to be the highest market settlement in England, being about 1000 feet above sea level. It is also remote,
about 20 miles from the nearest town. From every direction Alston is approached over a broad, heather-cladded Pennine landscape which has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Set on the upper reaches of the River South Tyne, it lies within the Eden district of Cumbria.
Alston has a steep cobbled main street with a distinctive market cross, and many stone buildings dating from the 17th Century. Next to the entrance to the Church, is a building dated 1681. The Angel pub to its left is dated 1611, and the white building left of the pub is dated 1687. It is a bustling town, with a reputation for delicious locally made specialities such as Cumberland Mustard, and Alston Cheese.
Alston Moor grew as a lead mining community over four centuries ago, with Alston town serving the mining families.
Alston is the starting point for the South Tynedale railway England's highest narrow gauge railway.
We followed the South Tyne to Haltwhistle a market town in Northumberland - reputedly the geographical centre of Britain and yet another centre for walkers. This time for those wanting to explore Hadrian’s Wall that was built between 122AD and 130AD.
Hadrian's Wall was eighty miles (130 kms) long, six metres high, three metres wide and built of stone, (though the Cumbrian sections were originally built of turf). A northern DITCH, a MILITARY ROAD and an earthwork called the 'VALLUM’ supplemented its defences. Together these features formed a 'MILITARY ZONE’ that restricted the movement of people to the north and south of the wall. This military zone was a 'No Go' area for armed 'Barbarians'.
The defences of the Military Zone were supplemented by MILECASTLES, which housed garrisons of up to sixty men. These were built at intervals of one Roman mile and between each of these stood two smaller defensive towers called TURRETS that held small garrisons of four men.
Most important of the military garrisons along the wall were of course the great FORTS, of which there were sixteen, each housing between five hundred and one thousand men. The men who occupied these forts and the other Wall defences were sometimes recruited locally, but more often than not they were brought in from some distant corner of the Roman Empire.
Soldiers garrisoned on the wall, thus came from as far away as Spain, Switzerland, Hungary, Germania,
Romania and even North Africa. Surprisingly very few of the Roman soldiers originated from Rome or Italy. Instead the wall was a Multi-National Military Zone whose people had brought with them many different customs, languages and religions.
There were a great many people doing the Hadrian’s Wall Path walk in both directions. This goes from Carlisle in Cumbria to Newcastle upon Tyne and is 73 miles (120 km) in length.
We were rather disappointed that you had to pay at every parking area, even at the Visitor’s Centre so we wee quite content to drive alongside the Wall up to Chollerford. It was interesting to note that in the 1970’s this area had a great many dairy farms which now seem to have disappeared and the area is now cereal growing farmland, especially oil seed rape (Canola). Linda used to visit dairy farms around here in a previous life and is well acquainted with the area.
It was market day in Hexham so there was little point in stopping as the place was so crowded so we continued on to Newcastle upon Tyne and took the Western Bypass to enable Howard to have his first sighting of
Bridges on the Tyne
With the Tyne Bridge Swing Bridge, Road/Rail Bridge & Redheugh Bridge the ‘Angel of the North’ a huge sculpture by Arthur Gormley of Lake Ballard fame. The traffic was horrendous and Howard was interested to see the lines of terrace houses stretching up the far side of the River Tyne at Whickham (an old coal mining town). We took the old A1 through Gateshead and over the Tyne Bridge into the City.
The Tyne Bridge is one of the most instantly recognisable bridges in the world. Open in 1928 by their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary on the 9th October.
The bridge was designed by Mott, Hay and Anderson, M.M.Inst.C.E. of London and was built by Dorman, Long and Co., Ltd of Middlesbrough. They also built the Sydney Harbour Bridge that was opened in 1932 and of similar design. Note: Linda's 'White' family moved from Wentworth in Yorkshire to Sheffield and then to Middlesbrough to work for Dorman Longs then known as Bolckow & Vaughan.
We went down to the Quayside and had a look at the regenerated area which was once filled with ships and then we followed the River Tyne down to Tynemouth and along the coast to St Mary’s lighthouse and then inland
to Cramlington, our overnight stop for today. It was a shock to see the Spanish City in Whitley bay closed, this was an amusement arcade and is apparently being refurbished in an attempt to rejuvenate this once busy holiday seaside town.
We found Pam (Linda’s step sister) and Terry’s house easily where a huge meal was waiting for us before we were taken to the local pub for a few drinks of good northern beer.
Total travelled 182 miles (291.2 kms)
We visited Lancashire, Cumbria, Tyne & Wear and Northumberland.
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