03-14-2010, 09:29 PM
Hi
As I never received my tickets for the event I decided that Barcombe hill would be a good vantage point. Well the Romans put a signal station there and they knew a thing or two. It does have a complete panorama from past Vindolanda and along the Stanegate over on the left, to well beyond Housesteads off to the right. A few hundred other people also thought it was a good spot too but fortunately it was well away from the hoards who filled the military road. One thing the organisers failed to foresee was that the lights from the cars would be considerably more than those on the wall! This rather spoiled the effect somewhat and was made worse by the fact that drivers were not allowed to park on the verges of the road.
The lights duly arrived on time but when they reached the wall opposite Barcombe Hill they stopped! Clearly some enterprising Barbarian had decided to spoil the show and many people in particular those with children started to drift away. After a spell of about 15 minutes they started again further along the wall but part of the missing section was never lighted.
One thing I forgot was that being on top of a hill would be both cold and windy so many of my photographs with a hand held camera have far too much camera shake to make them worth posting. Fortunately some members of Comitatus turned up and provided a better photo opportunity close at hand, so I have asked Jasper if he can kindly post some. Like Mike, I too had not realised either that the line of torches would not follow the true line of the wall for its entire length so I agree with him that the advance publicity was a bit misleading.
Nevertheless the event certainly seemed to capture the public imagination and up there on Barcombe Hill there was an atmosphere. I am glad I went.
Graham.
As I never received my tickets for the event I decided that Barcombe hill would be a good vantage point. Well the Romans put a signal station there and they knew a thing or two. It does have a complete panorama from past Vindolanda and along the Stanegate over on the left, to well beyond Housesteads off to the right. A few hundred other people also thought it was a good spot too but fortunately it was well away from the hoards who filled the military road. One thing the organisers failed to foresee was that the lights from the cars would be considerably more than those on the wall! This rather spoiled the effect somewhat and was made worse by the fact that drivers were not allowed to park on the verges of the road.
The lights duly arrived on time but when they reached the wall opposite Barcombe Hill they stopped! Clearly some enterprising Barbarian had decided to spoil the show and many people in particular those with children started to drift away. After a spell of about 15 minutes they started again further along the wall but part of the missing section was never lighted.
One thing I forgot was that being on top of a hill would be both cold and windy so many of my photographs with a hand held camera have far too much camera shake to make them worth posting. Fortunately some members of Comitatus turned up and provided a better photo opportunity close at hand, so I have asked Jasper if he can kindly post some. Like Mike, I too had not realised either that the line of torches would not follow the true line of the wall for its entire length so I agree with him that the advance publicity was a bit misleading.
Nevertheless the event certainly seemed to capture the public imagination and up there on Barcombe Hill there was an atmosphere. I am glad I went.
Graham.
"Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream" Edgar Allan Poe.
"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.
"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.
"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
