David Hall Lake District Walks

Date:	2nd July 2005
Walk:	Brocavum Roman fort near Penrith to Galava Roman fort in Ambleside
Time:	09.00 to 19.00
Duration:	10 hr
Distance:	23.5 mile
Ascent:	4100 ft
Walkers:	Jennifer, Andrew & Anne Leaney, Peter Burgess, Stuart, Steve and John
Parking:	Roadside, Brougham Castle, Penrith
Walk route:
Castle Bridge - Brougham Castle - Brocavum Roman Fort - B6262 - Brougham Hall - Lowther Bridge - A6 - Eamont Bridge - King Arthur's Round Table - B5320 - sch - Tirril - Broad Ing - Celleron - Winder Hall Farm - Edge of Heughscar Hill - Cairn - Ford - The Cockpit - Brown Rigg - Lord's Seat - Lambert Lad - Edge of Loadpot Hill - Chy - Wether Hill - Keasgill Head - Red Crag - Redcrag Tarn - Raven Howe - High Raise - Rampsgill Head - Twopenny Crag - Straights of Riggindale - High Street - Thornthwaite Crag - Beacon - Posts - Park Fell - Hagg Gill - Troutbeck Park - Hagg Bridge - Ing Bridge - Ing Lane - Town Head - A592 - Troutbeck - Birkhead - High Fold - Low Fold - PO - Robin Lane (Track) - Ford - High Skelghyll - Skelghyll Wood - Stencher Beck - A591 - A5075 - Windermere (lake) - Ambleside - Galava Roman Fort


	Brougham Castle which is found just across the field from the remains of Brocavum Roman fort. Today's walk was organised by Peter Burgess as part of the Channel 4, Time Team programs Big Roman Dig event. Our contribution to the Big Roman Dig was to follow the route between two of the Roman forts that are found in Cumbria, while staying as close as possible to the original route.



	The remains of the Roman fort of Brocavum.



	Near Eamont Bridge the route passes the ancient monument known as King Arthur's Table which dates from 2000 to 1000 BC.



	Cottages near Winder Hall Farm.



	From the edge of Heughscar Hill looking across to Great and Little Mell Fells.



	A little further along the track. This time with heavy rain falling ahead of us in the direction we were walking.



	Lambert Lad. One of the many boundary stones found on these fells. This one is said to predate all the others and is probably one of the original stones used to mark a route over the fells.



	Time to regroup and have a bite to eat at the remains of the Lowther house hunting lodge.



	Approaching Redcrag Tarn and the thick band of cloud that we ended up walking in along the higher section of the route.



	Looking back along our route from the path below High Raise.



	From the top of Twopenny Crag a brief break in the cloud gave us this view down to Riggindale and Hawswater. This was the place were we had planned to meet up with another group of walkers who were doing a different route, but were going to accompany us over the "High Street" section of the Roman road as far as Thornthwaite Crag. Good planning "probably" very lucky "definitely". But the 2nd group reached the rendezvous point only 10 minutes before us. Given the significant difference between the two routes I'm sure any Roman leader would have been pleased with this joining of forces.



	Out of the cloud now and starting to drop down into Troutbeck.



	Looking over Troutbeck Tongue to Windermere.



	From the side of Troutbeck Tongue with the fells we had been on earlier still under cloud.



	The Ill Bell ridge (eventually free from cloud) from Ing Lane.



	A little grey, but still very peaceful scene of Windermere. We were almost at the end of the route now and feeling very tired after 10 hours and almost 25 mile of walking.



	Not quite the ideal Roman legion I know and luckily for us there was no battle to fight at the end of the walk. But we did managed to follow in their footsteps and go home with a great sense of achievement, not just for completing a walk of this length, but for completing the whole of the Roman High Street route in one day.



	Two very tired Roman ladies.



	Some of the remains of the Roman fort of Galava (Ambleside).



	The Granary section of the Roman fort.



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