The Cardurnock peninsula pokes out into the upper Solway Firth like a thumb, a flat, wind-scoured finger of farmland and salt marsh west of Bowness-on-Solway, with the tide sweeping in and out over the sands on three sides. Beyond the end of Hadrian's Wall, the Romans continued their defences down the coast with a chain of small forts and towers, and Cardurnock milefortlet was one of them, a small walled post with a handful of men keeping an eye on the fords and the open water. It is part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage site, though nothing much is visible now beyond the lie of the land.
What you will notice is the space. The Solway is one of the largest estuaries in Britain, and at low tide vast expanses of sand and mud are exposed, cut by channels that fill rapidly as the tide returns, which it does at a frightening speed. The salt marshes along the shore, grazed by cattle and sheep, are an important habitat for birds, and in winter tens of thousands of barnacle geese arrive from Svalbard to feed here, along with pink-footed geese, waders and ducks. Their calls and the sight of them lifting off the marshes at dawn are unforgettable.
Across the water, the hills of Dumfries and Galloway rise, with Criffel prominent, and on a clear day you can see the towns of Annan and the old Chapelcross nuclear power station, whose cooling towers were demolished in 2007. The remains of the Solway Junction Railway viaduct, which once crossed the firth to Scotland, can still be seen near Bowness.
The riding on the peninsula is peaceful and flat, with narrow lanes running along the shore and between farms, and little traffic. The roads can flood at very high tides, especially near Bowness and Port Carlisle, so check the tide tables and heed the warning signs. Strong winds are common, coming in off the sea. The landscape is stark and beautiful, with huge skies and changing light.
Silloth, about seven and a half kilometres away as the crow flies but further by road, has fuel and services. Annan, across the water in Scotland, is close in distance but not by road. Carlisle and Wigton are the main inland towns. The RSPB reserve at Campfield Marsh, nearby, is worth a visit for birdwatchers.