Ebchester Roman Fort

This morning broke bright and sunny, so before we headed for home we decided to go for a bike ride on the N14 National Cycleway. The part we were on follows the path of an old railway line from Gateshead to Consett, so is easy going.

We crossed the route of the old Roman Road called Dere Street which connected York with Hadrian's Wall and the Firth of Forth.

A line of forts were built along the route to protect strategic points and provide safe shelter for the marching armies at around 20 mile intervals, (the standard day's walk for a Roman army)

Ebchester fort, or Vindomora was probably built here to protect the river crossing on the Derwent. There is nothing to see now as the fort is under the modern village of Ebchester.