The western end of Hadrian's Wall runs right through Carlisle, and the stretch counted as wall mile 66 lies on the edge of the city, close to where the wall crossed the River Eden. The Roman town of Luguvalium grew up here, and the fort at Stanwix, across the river, housed a cavalry regiment and was the largest on the wall. Very little of the stone wall survives in the city, much of it having been robbed for buildings, but the line of the wall and vallum can be traced in places, and the Tullie House museum tells the story of Roman Carlisle with excellent displays.
Carlisle has always been a frontier city. After the Romans left, it changed hands between England and Scotland several times, and the red sandstone castle, begun under William Rufus in the late eleventh century, has seen sieges, rebellions and imprisoned royalty, including Mary, Queen of Scots. The cathedral, also red sandstone, is one of the smallest in England. The border country to the north was the land of the reivers, families who raided across the border for cattle and plunder for centuries.
The city, with nearly eighty thousand people, has everything you need: fuel, shops, restaurants and accommodation. Traffic can be heavy, especially at rush hour, and there are speed cameras on the main roads. Park near the castle and walk; the centre is compact, and the old market cross, the cathedral and the museum are all a few minutes apart.
For riders, Carlisle is a gateway. To the south lies the Lake District, with its famous passes, Hardknott and Wrynose, steep and narrow, and Kirkstone and Honister, more forgiving. To the north and east, the roads into the Scottish Borders and along the wall offer quieter riding across moors and through river valleys. West, the Solway coast leads to the end of the wall at Bowness-on-Solway, a flat, quiet road with big skies and views across the firth to Scotland.