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Published: August 27th 2010
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The
Lake District, a wild or manicured beauty? Irregularly shaped hills with rocky outcrops are laced with carefully placed stone walls separating paddocks. Walkers seem to strictly adhere to trials that slice through sheep and cattle pastures.
I stay in
Ambleside, alongside
Windamere (panorama). Ambleside, located on the eastern shore, about a third down from the northern tip, is a town in which the buildings have been constructed with slate that has been cut into rectangular blocks. Windamere, shaped like a finger is the largest lake in the district. This Windamere, with its towns, piers and boats superficially appeared to be very different from Lake Windamere, located in the Cradle Mountain - Lake St Clair National Park in Tasmania. That lake, like the surrounding country is relatively untouched wilderness. Yet, both were created by glaciation during the last ice age twelve to fifteen thousand years ago.
Visited
Wordsworth House in Cockermouth. This is a large orange-brown Georgian House in which William Wordsworth (1770 - 1850) was born. Wordsworth along with Coleridge and Southey were known as the Lake Poets. A leading Romantic Poet, known for his long walks throughout the Lake District, he was also an early advocate
of the idea that the Lake District needed to be protected from over-development. This cause was later enhance by Beatice Potter (1858 - 1943), author of a series of children books which feature Peter Rabbit. Using monies from books sales, she bought land in the Lake District, leaving 4000 acres of it to the National Trust on her death. As a momento of my visit I buy a thumbsized book of Wordsworth's poems. Wonder if I will actually read them!?
That night around 10PM, while it is still light, two girls jump into Windamere and start singing. Maybe it is the long twilight, that time of day when there is light without sun, maybe it is partial insomnia, but I felt the created atmosphere magical and pagan.
Somewhat regretfully, I leave the Lake District, heading towards today's highlight, Hadrian's Wall. I stop for a baked potato lunch in
Carlisle, very close to the wall. While there I chat to a local who commented that it was the coldest June for 300years! Great, welcome to England! While here, I decide to look at the Carlisle Cathedral, located near the central Y-shaped plaza. It is the second smallest
cathedral in England, after Oxford. Its ceiling is barrel shaped painted blue with golden stars. It is noted for its organ which was originally built in 1856. The latest rebuild occurring in 1962 gave it a more classical sound.
Taking six years to complete
Hadrian's Wall was commenced on the orders of Emperor Hadrian in 122AD. Built near a scape to exploit the natural topography it was 117kms long. Its height and width varied depending on construction materials but could be up to 6.5 metres high and 6 metres width. Forts were built along its length. Some of these, such as Housesteads and Chester have fairly well preserved foundations which allow there original layouts to be reconstructed. Housesteads for example has a well preserved latrine which used gravity to flush sewage. Unlike the isolated cubicles of today it was a communal affair though each person did have their own private sponge. Hadrian's Wall would not have stopped at concentrated attack from the Picts of the north. But that was not its purpose, its function was more like the function of an immigration fence.
Leaving Hadrian's Wall, the long lonely drive to Edinburgh is completed around 9:00PM.
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