Boncius & Thomodicus

LOCALY KNOWN AS “CHANGEABLE” Before we go any further – the photographs today look like the sun was on our side. This couldn’t be further from the truth 😆 In between deluges – ( and sometimes during ) – The camera comes out of a waterproof bag and straight back in afterwards. There will be no problem with blisters this walk as the trench foot has beaten them to it.

From there to the temple of Mithras 90 minutes later it’s quite a change. Wonderful really that this exists hidden away minutes from a major road. Built by homesick Romans , underground to re-create part of that God’s story , three senior officers of Hadrians army sponsored each of the three Alters shown in the photographs. And we can stand next to them 2000 years later. Amazing.

We have been thinking about our friends and loved ones and left each a coin on the altar. Dee, Roddy, Paul , Steve – these are for you. XXX Well it never hurts to avoid offending someone else’s faith.

Thinking it was only fair I did my legionnaires duty. I took my turn on the wall . Enemies of Rome come in many disguises.

Looking for a place to stop for lunch we looked along this horizon stretch of the wall and into the distance we saw like crashing waves against the cliffs – A gale twisted woods that could give us a shelter.

The best was yet to come. An hour or so later we came across a highlight. We knew it was coming – but delighted it was so soon and the rain held off for us . Maybe you recognize this scene when this place was used for location filming of the Morgan Freeman/Kevin Costner movie from 1991. The fight up on the wall at this point has forever made “Sycamore gap“ a prime location.

Stunning once you get there but exciting to approach it from above on the 100th set of perilous stone steps of the day

We are off to watch “Robin Hood – Prince of thieves” – immediately we get home!

Just stunning and picturesque featured on movie posters, T-shirts film trailers worldwide.

The tree has grown considerably since the movie!

Our day ended at the marvelous Twice Brewed Inn . The only Pub I know but it’s own Roman themed microbrewery — ( “Ale Cesar” a favorite) – that has its own observatory and soon a planetarium to take advantage of its “dark sky park status“. Situated next to the new £18M SILL – landscape and activity Center – it’s a brilliant way to run what was a run down roadside shell only a few years ago.

A memorable – in spite of the weather day

And before I go – to explain the strange title of today’s blog post – we developed over a number of rainy hours our own Latin names. ( The sort of thing you do when trudging along ) – I would like to introduce……

Thomodicus Addendum – which means nothing and it’s just an hysterical abuse of Latin — but has the word Thom in it 😆
And ……. Boncius Ambulante – given to me by Thom which apparently – in approximate Latin means “ Big Head Walking“ – hoho very 😆 funny.

Xxx

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