Bleak up there

We have passed this lay-by on the A66 so many times, but we have always been at the beginning of a long journey, or with no time to spare, so although I thought there must be something there we have never stopped. Today we made a special journey and decided it gave us an excuse to go out for lunch.

This is the Rey Cross, sited at the highest, and bleakest, point on the Stainmore Pass. Only the top section and its plinth survive, time and the elements having reduced it to the weathered stump we see today. Originally it would have been 3 metres high, with a wheel-head top and carved decoration. It was erected in 946 AD by Edmund, King of Northumbria, to mark the border between English Northumbria and the Scottish kingdom of Strathclyde. 

This spot has been significant through history, presumably because of its height. On the moorland behind the cross there are the remains of a Bronze Age stone circle. Then around 70 AD the Romans built a large marching camp, the earthworks of which can still be seen. A Roman road linking York and Carlisle came through this point and this would have been halfway between forts at Bowes and Brough. Now it is very close to the border between Cumbria and County Durham and of course the very busy A66 runs past it, taking traffic East/West - West/East. 

Oh and there is a legend that Erik Bloodaxe, the last Viking ruler of York, was murdered and buried here - no evidence for this has been found. 

We went for lunch further along the A66 to the wonderful Cafe of Cross Lanes. We have been here for breakfast on many occasions, but today we tried their wood-fired pizzas - delicious! 

The extra is a little, lonely fungus found amongst lichen. I have no idea what it is, but it is so tiny (no bigger than 1 cm) and perfect.