Whitley Bay to York

Our evening at Whitley Bay was spent staying warm after we went out for a walk to the sea front. Th wind was blowing a gale and it was trying to rain at the same time. Fortunately it didn't or it would have been sleet. We enjoyed the bracing air (for about 2 mins) then struttrd our way round and back to our hotel from which we didn't move till next morning.

The new day was just fog and more fog . 

HADRIAN'S WALL - we visited Chesters Fort near Hexham and wow what a place to stroll around. The history there was amazing. The wall built in 122AD and the various forts along it are testament to the Roman skills of the day. The remains of the bathouse beside the river at the fort show the ingenuity of those folk.  There was a stoker hole where fires would have  urnt and then above this was the 'hot' room then connected to the 'warm' room with finally the 'cold' room furthest away.  The rooms had been placed above channels that carried the steam and heat from the stoker room under the slabbed floors so that the steam and heat could rise to be used in the room. There were channels and drains built to carry the clean water and to dispose of the dirty as well as latrines for toilet waste.  All these are constructed with blocks of stone some the height of Lawrie for doorways etc and others cut as blocks for constructing the walls. Just amazing to be able to touch something this old.

It is currently mid term break over here and the centre at the fort were running activities for the children with dress up and role playing for all. Looked a lot of fun, yet educational for the kids.