At the last sentence I was hoping for a special effect involving time travel Something a bit swirly and a bit of an off-key piano playing, but it was not to be.
As I walked from the front door, sturdy boots on and single sock layer, I listened to the sound of the birds close by and cars driving past in the distance.
Using one of the local countryside walks that the area offers gave me a chance to learn a bit about the Antonine Wall.
The Antonine Wall is the biggest remnant of the Roman Empires occupation of Scotland. Yes, the Roman Empire did indeed make it to Scotland (check out the films Centurion and The Eagle).
This wall was the most northerly boundary of the Roman Empire in Britain. The wall spanned from the River Forth to the River Clyde, a total distance of 37 miles, and was built around about 142AD.
In order to celebrate the Millennium, the local council began improving access to the nearly 2000-year-old Roman defences.
The Antonine Wall once stood approximately 10 feet high, the Roman engineers constructing it of turf and earth, this rests on a base of stone.
This particular walk is not a long one; the walk itself covers a distance of 1 mile (approximately 1,500m). The beauty of a walk, any walk is that it does not have to be a hike in order to enjoy the scenery.
My historical journey begins at the not very ancient and certainly not Roman car park. I begin my walk and head in a northerly direction towards Kinneil House. This is one of the homes of the Hamilton family, members of the Scottish aristocracy. The house started life as a large 15th century fortified tower.
In the mid-16th century a 'palace' was built to provide more elegant quarters for the family. The building contains several wall paintings on religious subjects which are amongst the finest surviving examples in Scotland.
The path continues towards Kinneil Church, or at least what remains of this historic monument. The path is mostly grass and and is pretty level.
To the right of the path there is a lightly wooded area, starting to flourish after the winter months. This path leads towards the East Pond. When reaching the East Pond I turn left and head back onto the grassy path.
This wall was the most northerly boundary of the Roman Empire in Britain. The wall spanned from the River Forth to the River Clyde, a total distance of 37 miles, and was built around about 142AD.In order to celebrate the Millennium, the local council began improving access to the nearly 2000-year-old Roman defences.
The Antonine Wall once stood approximately 10 feet high, the Roman engineers constructing it of turf and earth, this rests on a base of stone.
This particular walk is not a long one; the walk itself covers a distance of 1 mile (approximately 1,500m). The beauty of a walk, any walk is that it does not have to be a hike in order to enjoy the scenery.
My historical journey begins at the not very ancient and certainly not Roman car park. I begin my walk and head in a northerly direction towards Kinneil House. This is one of the homes of the Hamilton family, members of the Scottish aristocracy. The house started life as a large 15th century fortified tower.
In the mid-16th century a 'palace' was built to provide more elegant quarters for the family. The building contains several wall paintings on religious subjects which are amongst the finest surviving examples in Scotland.
The path continues towards Kinneil Church, or at least what remains of this historic monument. The path is mostly grass and and is pretty level.
To the right of the path there is a lightly wooded area, starting to flourish after the winter months. This path leads towards the East Pond. When reaching the East Pond I turn left and head back onto the grassy path.
Moving around the pond the route leads me past a Roman Fortlet (a small fort) to the left of the path, the Fortlet is marked out by wooden posts. This was also approximately 10 feet high, was originally constructed of turf and earth, and like the wall, rests on a stone base.The path continues towards the West Pond, here I encountered a family of swans. All I have to say about swans is, DON'T GET TOO CLOSE! If they feel threatened they start to get noisy and will approach you. Even a small dog decided his barking was not enough to save him. The walk turns left, uphill along the waterside path before turning left down onto a forest track.
Carrying on the path leads past a moderately wooded area finally returning on the gentle uphill slope on the forest track back to the car park.
Here the historical journey ends and my journey home begins.
Here the historical journey ends and my journey home begins.
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