Carlisle

Carlisle is a sleepy town that sits on the Hadrian's Wall Path. Originally the city was a Roman Town called Luguvalium, which also operated as a supply point for Hadrian's Wall. The city had been on the border of England & Scotland for many years, and has seen it's fair share of fighting. Eager to learn a bit more about it, I headed to Carlisle Castle, a red stoned extensive castle surrounded by beautiful green lawns. 

Built by William the Conquerors son, William Rufus, the castle was built atop what was left of the Roman fortress in 1093. This began several hundred years of war between England & Scotland, with frequent skirmishes, attacks and wars, with neither side being able to make much progress. The time was also known for the Border Reivers, groups of armed thugs who would steal & kill whatever and whomever they wanted, causing widespread fear and economic losses in the region. It didn't matter if you were English or Scottish, anyone could be a target. Such was the concern, that the area is full of little defensive towers & fortified homesteads, often called Peel or Pele towers, were used to protect lives & livestock. Animals would be herded in, the door locked and bolted and the terrified family would shelter within and pray to be spared.

Interestingly, some of the Reivers culture has remained for us, the term bereaved reportedly comes from the term "to be killed by a Reiver", and many of the clan names of the Reivers, such as Armstrong, Dixon, Elliott & Hall are all common surnames in the UK, even today! 

Here's a view of the entrance to the castle, note the wet path, the rain was very heavy when I visited!

There's also lots of little graffitti drawn about the castle, with hundreds of years of names and designs etched on it's walls. The castle was frequently the site of clashes being so close to the border but, after the union of Scotland and England, the final action the castle saw was as part of the Jacobite uprising in 1745. After then, the castle saw a quieter life as a training ground for the army, and was gradually dismantled and the stones were used to build in the city.

The entrance with it's many arches.

And again a view of the courtyard, with some of the remaining barracks buildings. The castle also hosts the Museum of Military Life, with some dated exhibitions about the military history of Cumbria. I had a look around the museum, I didn't find it anything particularly interesting or anything I'd not seen before, it's definitely aimed more for people with a deep interest in military campaigns and warfare. The castle & museum are included on the same ticket, which starts at £18 for an adult. Overall, the castle itself is nice, but I don't think I would pay to do it again at that price. As always though, if you're a member of English Heritage, then entry is free, and there's a discount if you pre book the day before. Being organised can save you money! Find out more on their webiste @english-heritage.org.uk/carlislecastle

Despite the rain, I fancied a walk around the Gardens at Bitts Park, which then spreads out along the banks of the River Eden, with lots of green spaces and things to see. There's this charming little pergola in the centre, which I used to escape from a particularly nasty downpour!

You can also see the statue of Queen Victoria, with these beautiful flower beds surrounding.

Next, I crossed over the Eden Bridge, this gorgeous stone bridge built in 1815, which is one of the main routes out of the city.

On the other side of the bank, the views continue to be beautiful, with sprawling grassland and trees as far as you can see.

Not far from the bridge is the Chinese & Italian Garden. It's a small but quaint garden that features some beautiful roses, and in nice weather it provides you with a place to sit and relax for a moment.

More views of the River Eden, I saw a few birds and some rabbits while along this section.

And here's the view of the Rickerby Park Memorial Bridge, built in 1922 as a tribute to local people in the area who died during the First World War.

Coming back into Carlisle, I found this fantastic piece of street art in the subway, the detail in the hair and the emotion in the eyes really standing out.

Here's the exterior of Carlisle Cathedral. Originally formed as a Priory before becoming a cathedral in 1133. Similar to the rest of Carlisle, it is built of this distinctive reddish stone, which really helps it to stand out.

Unfortunately the cathedral was closed to visitors due to a graduation ceremony taking place inside. If you get the chance to, make sure you pay a visit. One of the UK's largest and most impressive Gothic windows in on the East side, as well a sumptuous decoration throughout. Have a look at some of the pictures online, it looks stunning! If you've been and you've got photo's, please share them in the comments!

My final visit of the day was to the Tullie House Museum, an interesting museum with a bit of everything in it! It contains a basement area full of Roman finds, including this beautifully carved capital and these statues.

But something I really liked was the selection of tiles, all made and fired in Brampton, only 10 miles further up the road. What makes these so charming, is the array of animal footprints in them as they were laid out to dry! There's cats, dogs, birds and even what looks like a possible goat/pig print as well!

You can imagine how annoyed the tile maker would have been to discovered your hard work had been  stepped on by a curious animal! There's also galleries throughout the building, with art, local history and there was also an interesting photography exhibition on as well when I visited. Tickets start at £8.50 for adults, you if you plan on coming back, it's £15 for an annual ticket. Find out more on their website @tullie.org.uk

By now, everything was starting to close, and I went to grab myself some dinner. I had another night booked here in Carlisle, and I was planning to head to Wetheral tomorrow, before catching the bus to the start of the wall in Bowness-On-Solway the following day 

I did manage to get a nice picture of the castle walls the next day on the way to the train station. Look at the blue skies for a change!