At Ravenglass, which lies at the point on
the Cumbrian coast where the rivers Esk, Mite and Irt come together at the Irish Sea, it's all about the Romans and the
railway. The Roman naval base of Glannaventa
may have marked the southernmost point of the "Western Sea Defences"
with its series of forts and watch-towers.
The meaning of the Roman name suggests the possible existence of a
trading port at this location, and earlier this year it was reported that an
archaeological exploration of the site was to take place aimed at proving the
existence of such a settlement. However,
a number of items associated with the military unit stationed here have already
been discovered, the most important of which was dug up not by an
archaeologist, but by a dog! The item in
question was a bronze demob certificate pertaining to one of the soldiers. Meanwhile, a short distance away from the
village lie the remains of a bathhouse used by the soldiers at the fort. The bathhouse, which is run by English Heritage, includes some of the walls with their doorways and windows, and a
niche for a bust.
The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway is a
narrow-gauge railway with steam trains which take visitors along a beautiful
stretch of line which wends its way through the valley for seven miles,
offering wonderful views of the mountains of the Lake
District. The line was
built in 1875 to transport iron ore to the coast, and it was affectionately
known as "La'al Ratty" in old Cumbrian dialect, meaning "little
railway". As well as railway buffs,
birdwatchers enjoy the 40-minute journey, which passes through a natural
habitat frequented by Greylag Geese, Curlew, Shelduck and Buzzards. If you're very lucky you may spot a Red
Squirrel. Back at the station there is a
museum which tells the history of the line.
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| Boats by the River Mite, Ravenglass - geograph.org.uk - 1327998. Photo by Nigel Chadwick, via Wikimedia Commons |
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