Scottish Borders photo of the day: watch out for barbarians

Fri, Apr 05, 2013

Hadrian's Wall
Me astride Hadrian’s Wall — the Romans’ attempt to contain Scotland — on the scout for barbarians. Or at least some men in kilts. (Photo by Shirley Skinner.)

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11 Comments

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MMcC

Fri, Apr 05, 2013 10:43pm

What a great picture! Sounds like you’re having fun!

cal

Fri, Apr 05, 2013 10:54pm

I thought leprechauns were Irish? Were the Scottish especially wee at the time of the Roman occupation, or was Hadrian just bad at math? It’s like the guys from Spinal Tap designed the wall. (Insert rimshots as needed.)

Of course, this was made fun of much better in Blackadder Back and Forth.

Seriously, I would love to visit the wall. Have fun!

bats :[

Fri, Apr 05, 2013 11:04pm

What’s in the bag? Something to appease the Picts?

MaryAnn Johanson

reply to bats :[

Sat, Apr 06, 2013 10:12am

Some goodies to send to people back in the US.

Patrick

Sat, Apr 06, 2013 2:03am

You wear Converse sneakers. Awesome.

MaryAnn Johanson

reply to Patrick

Sat, Apr 06, 2013 10:12am

But of course.

Anne-Kari

Sat, Apr 06, 2013 2:17am

You look marvelously wind-blown and happy. And to echo Patrick: Converse sneakers! Converse sneakers are cool :)

Dokeo

Sat, Apr 06, 2013 5:53am

Oohh, lovely! Where exactly was this? Did you do the bit with the tree in the valley from Robin Hood?

MaryAnn Johanson

reply to Dokeo

Sat, Apr 06, 2013 10:12am

This is right outside the Roman fort Birdoswald, which I’m looking back toward:

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/birdoswald-roman-fort-hadrians-wall/

PJK

Sat, Apr 06, 2013 6:30am

Fun fact: George R.R. Martin stood there once as well and the experience inspired him to come up with “The Wall” for the books in “A Song Of Ice And Fire”.

http://mikesowden.org/feveredmutterings/hadrians-wall-where-rome-meets-westeros

RogerBW

Sat, Apr 06, 2013 6:43pm

People think of the wall as a claim to power: I own this land. What they don’t see is that it’s also an admission of failure: this is where my writ ends, beyond here you are on your own.