It is remarkable to think that 1900 years ago 15,000 men built Hadrian’s Wall in just six years stretching 73 miles across northern England from coast to coast, between Bowness-on-Solway near Carlisle to near Newcastle. One popular theory suggests that the wall was built as a sign of Rome’s power, to control access to and from Roman Britain, and as a defence against the Picts. Although they did extend into modern day Scotland and build the Antonine Wall, several forts and settlements, Hadrian’s Wall was considered to mark the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire. 
Parts of it are still visible although it is no longer about 4 metres high due mainly to the use of the stones having been plundered, but it is possible to walk beside sections of the wall.  One such area is here between Steel Rigg and Housesteads where the wall can be seen snaking along the top of the Whin Sill at Peel Crags going to Highshield Crags above Crag Lough in the distance.  We followed the wall up and down steep sections where mile castles, or small fortified gates, had been built to protect the wall, one such at the bottom of a steep slope is Milecastle 39.  Another dip is called the Sycamore Gap with its iconic tree believed to be about 300 years old.
As we climbed up and down steep inclines along the crags we wondered at the logistic issues there must have been in building the impressive wall with no obstacles seeming to get in the way.  During the cold and harsh winters this exposed location must have felt a very long way for those soldiers who had come from sunny Mediterranean areas. It must have been awful for the Romans soldiers patrolling the wall in all kinds of weather without the waterproof clothing and boots as we had. Even so sometimes we were ankle deep in mud and before the sun appeared we were glad to have hats and gloves.