Hic Nos Iterum *

In trying to summon my inner Roman I've been researching the nominative hero of the piece (about whom more later) but remained unconvinced that he, Hadrian, ever paid more than a cursory visit never mind lifted a shovel, heaved a brick or tramped the length so he wasn't really helping. No, what I wanted to know was who actually put in the hard graft (in other words who I have to blame for putting the 84 mile structure there in the first place, tantalisingly challenging the eternal rambler in his-nibs and the wearily competitive in me!) Anyway, I seem to have gotten to the bottom of it. I still don't yet know who barked the orders, set the pace, motivated the troops or kept morale high (this role to be played out next week by none other than HRH, you understand) but I have been able to establish a little more about the grafters. 

*Rather alarmingly when you type 'legionnaires' into Google images you tend to get disease! 

Sorry - distracted by germs there. Where was I? Oh yes, so somewhat surprisingly I discovered that not all of them were there under duress, in fact far from it! So it helps to remind myself that I did volunteer for this latest jaunt, I did look upon it as a way of improving my fitness and I was curious about the landscape in a part of the world as yet unexplored since I find that, wheras many believe mistakenly that the wall was built by slaves rather it's construction was a kind of occupational therapy for Roman legionaries! [i quote:  "Men from all over the Empire who had voluntarily joined the army probably needed such an exercise to keep them fit and busy in what was, at that time, a lonely outpost at the farthest edge of the world"]

So there we have it. The occupational therapy week is almost upon us. This is what's known, I believe, as 'reframing' - stop thinking about something negatively and try to see it positively. Don't get me wrong I'm anticipating some lovely scenery, hearty breakfasts, the opportunity to write again, to walk myself fitter as the week goes on and to enjoy the company of HRH but I have been struggling with nagging doubt as to why I ever agree to these things! We have a schedule of between 9 and 15 miles to get through each day (plus diversions), the forecast is not looking great and training has thrown up the inevitable catalogue of twinges, aches and pains but looking at it as occupational therapy, well, if the legionnaires could construct it then surely I can walk it. We shall soon see *Here We Go Again