Why this ride
A 76 km round trip from Haltwhistle - roughly 1 h 42 in the saddle. On the way it passes Nether Denton Roman fort, Watchclose Roman temporary camp and back through Nether Denton Roman fort. The line favours views over speed.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Roman aqueduct to Great Chesters from the and Watchclose Roman temporary camp
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 76 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 1 h 42
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
Ordered leg totals agree within rounding. Stop distances are approximate sums of rounded legs. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Roman aqueduct to Great Chesters from the
The Romans were obsessed with water, and even on this bleak ridge they went to extraordinary trouble to bring it to their fort. The fort of Great Chesters, called Aesica in Roman times, stood on a crag high above the Haltwhistle Burn, with no spring close enough to supply a garrison of several hundred men and their animals. So the engineers built an aqueduct, an open channel that ran for about eight kilometres, following the contours of the land from a stream to the west, and delivered a steady flow into the fort. It was no great arched structure with spans of stone, but a simple ditch, and its beauty lies in the precision of the gradient. You can still trace the channel as a shallow line in the grass.
Read the complete Roman aqueduct to Great Chesters from the write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Roman aqueduct to Great Chesters from the is where the day begins. Next is Nether Denton Roman fort.
2. Nether Denton Roman fort
Before Hadrian built his wall, the Romans controlled northern Britain with a line of forts along a road called the Stanegate, which ran from Corbridge to Carlisle, and Nether Denton was one of them. The fort, on a hill above the River Irthing near Gilsland, is now marked only by faint earthworks around the small church of Nether Denton, which stands on the site. It is a quiet place, with only rooks and sheep for company.
Read the complete Nether Denton Roman fort write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Nether Denton Roman fort comes up about 19 km into the recorded legs. Next is Watchclose Roman temporary camp.
3. Watchclose Roman temporary camp
East of Carlisle, between the villages of Brampton and Wetheral, the countryside rolls gently towards the Pennines, with green fields, hedges and patches of woodland. Somewhere in these fields lie the faint traces of Watchclose, a Roman temporary camp, one of many marching camps built by soldiers on campaign or during the construction of Hadrian's Wall. These camps were enclosed by a ditch and bank and used for a night or a season, and today they are often visible only from the air or as slight undulations in the grass. Watchclose is part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage site.
Read the complete Watchclose Roman temporary camp write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
about 36 km into the recorded legs you reach Watchclose Roman temporary camp. Next is back through Nether Denton Roman fort.
4. back through Nether Denton Roman fort
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Nether Denton Roman fort write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Nether Denton Roman fort, late in the day. Next is Roman aqueduct to Great Chesters from the.
5. Roman aqueduct to Great Chesters from the
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Roman aqueduct to Great Chesters from the write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Back at Roman aqueduct to Great Chesters from the. That is the ride.
Leg by leg
Roman aqueduct to Great Chesters from the to Nether Denton Roman fort
Roman aqueduct to Great Chesters from the → Nether Denton Roman fort is 19 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Nether Denton Roman fort to Watchclose Roman temporary camp
Nether Denton Roman fort → Watchclose Roman temporary camp is 17 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Watchclose Roman temporary camp to back through Nether Denton Roman fort
Watchclose Roman temporary camp → back through Nether Denton Roman fort is 18 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Nether Denton Roman fort to Roman aqueduct to Great Chesters from the
back through Nether Denton Roman fort → Roman aqueduct to Great Chesters from the is 21 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
More motorcycle rides nearby
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- Haltwhistle Burn 4 Roman temporary camp and Watchclose Roman temporary camp · 71 km
- Haltwhistle Burn Roman temporary camps 2 a and Watchclose Roman temporary camp · 71 km