largsmantravelling

The desire to visit Outerwards Roman Fort-let sprang from two ideas, the pleasure in walking the local hills and curiosity. Late in last year while walking one the local hills, I came across an iron age fort. After that I had to see the roman version which lay about a couple of miles to the west.The indigenous people favoured circular forts with low walls on hill tops. The Romans built theirs in a valley with a sophisticated defence structure. As both these forts would have been in use around the same time. It would Interesting to compare them and looks like a good walk to some where new too.

It isn’t far away, roughly six miles away to the north, about two miles inland from the coast a Skelmorlie on upper Firth of Clyde. An area that is completely new to me. From the map, at elevation of two hundred seventy metres, the territory was rough moorland, boggy and uneven, likely to sodden with the winter rain. Tiring to walk on, progress would slow, being pathless hard to maintain direction in unfamiliar country. Not a good surface for walking on with my uncertain knees as well. Settling for a less adventurous route from the west using an established farm track. Not wanting to get lost or waste time made an exploratory trip to the farm to confirm the plan.

So one fine fresh January morning a week later, when the weather was suitable. Off I went dressed and prepared for the weather and terrain. Following my route plan, from the shore road parking up a steep short steep road to the farm access. From there to farm then on farm track passing the fields, on to the muddy puddled path which wound up the glen. For company in this rough land there were curious cattle coming to say hello further on some mad looking sheep weren’t to sure of me. A good day for a walk, dry, a shinning sun with with plenty of blue in the sky. An easy path to follow with the destination laying on the path. Relieved that my route had worked, pleasantly surprised with scenery too, good to see a new place. Amazing, walking on a roman road near to home. There’s something. The familiar dulls you, the security encapsulates you. A new place wakes you up.

The remains of the fort is that slight rise just above where the road turns to the right. The track, which is still used, is roman.

The fort is at the southern end of the valley between the long coastal hills to the wast and the lengthy hills on the eastern side which form the Brisbane Glen. A wide, empty, treeless damp moor with clear views to the north and south. There’s a gentle curve to the hill sides. An almost straight track, certainly roman runs through the valley. A quiet place, even though it was a bit windy. You could go there for the walk itself. Confirmed the location using the GPS. Not much to see, what’s there only recognisable through the description on Historic Scotland’s website. Surveying the site didn’t take long, the rough circular mounds are the stone core of the earthworks. The remains make it hard to gauge it’s size. Found some shelter and enjoyed my lunch in the fresh air.

Returning down the path that I came up on. The views are always better on the return, you done the work, so you relax now. A different aspect of usual views. Passing the farm, stopped to chat with and elderly lady walking her little dog. Soon the farmer joined us, the lady was his grand mother. They were interested in my outing as few walkers visit the fort. The farmer was reassured with my news of his mad looking sheep. He hadn’t been up there in weeks. A result, good walk to see somewhere new. Relieved too that my knees weren’t sore, happy too the, walk had brighten me up.

Only fragments of their records survive, dates and descriptions are vague, some of the surviving reports are questionable too.There’s eighteen hundred years of cultural baggage too. What I did discover that it was part of the extensive supporting infrastructure for the Antonine wall. Southern Scotland is dotted with a many of them, like this one guarding an important position. A cultural and political statement like all this sort of architecture; this is who we are and this is what we do. Likely many more are still to be found, as this one was found by accident by a RAF training flight in the early fifties. We know this much from the archaeology, remembering that is a snapshot of it’s time and place, nothing more and how the surviving artefacts understood is only an opinion. There was no evidence of attack or violent action found at the fort. Before departing the fort was completely and methodically dismantled. Everything was removed and taken away before leaving. An indication of how quiet a place it was. Perhaps they realised that there was no threat after all. After all the Romans were the invaders.

What did the locals make of it? Guess away, nobody knows. Like all imperial adventures for the indigenous people it would have been a mixed experience. Their numbers, power and technology would have intimidating certainly, bemusement and incomprehension probably. Interesting how the road has endured.They left it as it was, a portion of the more than five hundred miles of their roads in Scotland. Never left to decay either, and connected to their main roads. Along these roads would have come traders and travellers, goods and news, ideas and learning, no longer isolated but connected with the world beyond. Three years ago I did the almost compulsory visit to Pompeii while visiting Naples. Very good but it was dead, stopped in it’s tracks. Whereas if you look around, you could ask. Have they never really gone away ? Look at the track it’s still being used. An important local castle is believed to have roman foundations, another local castle has barrel vault similar to one in Pompeii. We even had to learn Latin at school not Gaelic.

Thinking of the Danonii, the indigenous tribe, they weren’t defeated so they weren’t losers.The Welsh still speak a form of their language and it was once the island’s dominate language. Almost the complete opposite of the incomers. An agrarian people who lived in small communities. They had no towns or cities, neither had they the social hierarchy like the Romans or their written culture. Quite a peaceful people apparently. Their fort was a basic, a low circular wall on a summit with great views. Easy to defend against small groups of lightly armed attackers.

A good stimulating walk and I learnt something new.