Bowness-on-Solway
Bowness-on-Solway was the end of the Wall and the most northern frontier of the Roman Empire after its withdrawal from the Antonine Wall between Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Bowness Roman fort of Maia was the second largest fort on Hadrian's Wall and the village is largely built upon its site. St Michael's Church is built over its granary. All the way along this coast there are sands and marshes and views across to Scotland well worth lingering over. About half a mile on you pass the remains of the Solway viaduct, over a mile long, which crossed the river to Annan. The Solway Viaduct spanned 2544 yards and provided a direct route to Glasgow from the ore fields of West Cumbria and bypassed the congestion at Carlisle where seven railway companies, with seven engine sheds and depots, all jostled for space. The viaduct was repeatedly damaged by winter ice and was finally demolished in 1934. Local lore suggests that one reason for its closure was that the Scots, who at that time had no access to alcohol on Sundays, used to walk across to Bowness and occasionally fell off and drowned on their return trip.
Roman Garden. Copyright: Rose Wolfe
Route information
Hadrian's Cycleway now follows the coast but you can take alternative short cut routes across to Whitrigg and Angerton. Newton Arlosh was created in the early 1300's to replace the village of Skinburness where the monks of Holme Cultrum Abbey panned for salt. This continued until the 1690's. If you visit the church of St John's note that the door is only 2 feet 7 inches high as it was built with defence in mind against the Border Reivers who were active at the time. It was said that at weddings the first of the bridal pair out of the church would be the boss. 
Seaville was the home of the late John Naylor who constructed all the railway paths you will meet through Workington and Whitehaven. Whilst he was alive Sustrans had ambitions to construct a new route through the marshes to reach Skinburness and you might still like to take the main road through Calvo to pick up the Sea Dyke road to Skinburness for the full coastal experience. If you have time walk out to Grune Point which is a noted spot for bird watching, particularly at high tides. If you are interested in war time defences, the Cumberland Machine Gun and Anti Tank Rifle Emplacement is a design of pill box unique to West Cumberland, whilst the Skinburness Mile fortlet formed part of the so called western sea defences, an extension of Hadrian's work which stretched from Bowness-on-Solway all the way down to Ravenglass.
