East of Carlisle, the Eden river bends through a broad red-sandstone valley, and the line of Hadrian's Wall once ran across it. Little of the wall is visible here, because stone was reused for houses and field walls over the centuries, but the course is known, and the Vallum, the great ditch and mounds on the south side, leaves faint marks in the fields. The sector between Baron's Close and the nearby farms runs through gentle pasture, with hedgerows, oak trees and cattle, and the memory of soldiers is carried by the land itself.
The Stanegate, a Roman road that predates the wall, runs close by. It linked the forts of the frontier before the wall was built, from Corbridge in the east to Carlisle, and the stretch near Crosby Lodge follows an ancient line. Hadrian's Wall, begun in AD 122, is part of the UNESCO listing Frontiers of the Roman Empire, and even where there is nothing to see, the place names carry the history: Stanwix, Walby, Crosby.
Scotby and Wetheral are the nearby villages, both comfortable, with pubs and village greens, and Wetheral has a famous railway viaduct that strides across the Eden. Carlisle, about seven kilometres away, is the main town, with a castle, a small cathedral, and all the fuel and supplies you need. The Lake District lies to the southwest, the Pennines to the southeast, and the Scottish border is a short ride north.
For riders, the lanes of the Eden valley are delightful. Narrow roads with high hedges climb gently and run beside the river, with the red stone and green fields in contrast, and traffic is light. Surfaces can be rough in winter after frost. Late spring and early autumn are the best seasons, and on a clear day you can see the North Pennines forming a blue line on the horizon. Farm vehicles are common, so take care at blind bends.