Day 12: But you can go home

And that was the number one item on today’s agenda:  get to Scotland.  We managed a decent night’s sleep and had a good breakfast before packing up and continuing the trek north.  We would like to have spent some time wandering around the village but as it was 9:30 on a Sunday morning, that wouldn’t have yielded much.  So back to the M6  we went.

Luckily the day was bright and sunny and the road works minimal.  We did a quick stop outside Carlisle to see parts of Hadrian’s wall – built by the Roman emperor Hadrian around 122 AD to help define and control the borders of the Roman empire.  (The common understanding is that it was to keep the barbarous hoards of Scots out of the empire.) It’s a pretty impressive feat: 73 miles long from coast to coast, 15 feet high and about 5 feet thick with sentry towers every 5 miles or so.  The whole wall isn’t standing anymore – in fact nearby Lanercost priory was built using some materials scavenged from the wall.

We didn’t venture on further to the Roman fort and the better preserved sections of the wall but did appreciate the short stop to stretch our legs and soak in some history.  A short stop for petrol and the loo, then back to the motorway fully armed with road trip snacks:  Irn Bru and crisps! A few miles later we crossed the border into Scotland.

And off to start the visiting part of the trip.  Now we got to see people and places that are both dear and familiar but who have schedules of their own of which we need to be cognizant.  No more spontaneous adventures if we wanted others to be involved but we had managed those expectations some time ago.  A quick stop by one Cannon household to check in and see how things were going (as they had just returned from their holidays the day before) and it was off to see Frank’s mom.  She had some notion we were coming but didn’t know when so it was a nice we surprise when we popped round to see her in the care home.  We had a quick visit with a promise to come round later and take her out for a meal. Then we had to get to our flat and unload, do some shopping and settle in for the week.

And what a flat!  You could get lost in this place! True it is just a one bedroom but I could do my ten thousand steps between the front room and the bed room – 10 ceilings with ornate moulding and a dining table that seats 8!  When I think of the progression of holiday flats we have had this trip: the tiny London flat where the dining table was squeezed in the front room behind the couch; the slightly larger Cornwall flat where the small table for two was in the kitchen (but still behind the couch); the slightly larger still Devon flat where the dining table seated 4 and was appropriately placed between the kitchen and the front room (and not tucked behind the couch); and now this were we could throw a dinner party complete with ballroom dancing!

A quick trip into town was needed for a few essentials and we were able to spend some time soaking up some rare Scottish sunshine:  it was a braw day! Then out for a meal with Mum and one set of Cannon’s.  Mum had to go back fairly early but that didn’t stop us from going up the road for a few wee drinks before bed.  Interestingly enough, Scotland recently lowered their drunk driving limit from .08 to .05 which has translated in my family to zero tolerance for drunk driving here.   So the drivers had Beck’s Blue non-alcoholic beer with dinner and then we dropped off a car and had a few drinks at the grand homestead before getting a taxi back to our flat.  A safe but expensive option.

Today’s numbers:

• Miles driven: 250 or so
• Roadwork queues encountered: 1
• Pints of Strongbow consumed: 3?4? didn’t really count that one…
• Steps taken: 8,731 (3.76 miles)