Guarding the wall

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We're standing at the Hadrian wall, looking north. The hills and moors of Northern England seem to stretch forever into, what looks like wildling country.

My friend Ole and I have for the past few days been walking along the ancient fortifications, which were erected almost 1900 years ago on the order of  Roman Emperor Hadrian.

The walls were meant to protect the Roman empire from the Northern Barbarians and they stretched from sea to sea, crossing valleys and mountain tops

During the following centuries the fortifications were used as  convenient quarries and although many of the original 24 million stones were used to build  castles and farm buildings all over Northumberland, significant portions of the wall still stand and they can be followed along the adjoining Hadrian's wall path



The path is almost empty for wanderers, as the weather the last few days has been quite miserable. Strong winds and violent rain showers have been whipping against us and we feel exhausted walking for many hours  through desolate stretches of wilderness.



Many years ago a young, aspiring author visited this very place and he tried to imagine how it would have felt for a soldier to stand watch at the end of the world - not knowing what terrors were waiting beyond the wall. 

- It could have been any kind of monsters. The sense of this barrier against dark forces planted something in me, he later told.

The visitor was  George RR Martin and  as he  became the writer behind 'Game of Thrones', he made the experience of his youth evolve into the colossal wall along the Northern border of the Seven Kingdoms.

For the last couple of days, Ole and I  have tried to imagine how it feels to be the only ones standing between the realm and what lies beyond.

Like  the  Sworn Brothers of the Night's watch, we're on the lookout - but not for wildlings or white walkers.

We're looking  for a pub hidden somewhere in this rain drenched landscape! Some shelter, a beef hotpot and a beer! That would be absolutely lovely!


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