HISTORICAL ROUTES
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Many people who visit Scotland and England and walk on and along Hadrian's Wall, the northern limit of the civilised world during the golden age of the Roman Empire, enjoy the experience of coming close to history in a special way. Many of the old walking trails between districts and landscapes follow routes dating back to prehistoric times they follow the logic of the landscape. |
| They cross rivers where there are fords, they weave through valleys with easy access, run along lakes and rivers or through passes in mountain areas. In Western Norway, the most travelled roads were on the coast, partly crossing seas and fjords the lane and partly crossing land. The very name Norway the way north demonstrates the importance of the landscape's communication routes. The majority of them were important trade routes. |
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On the Norwegian west coast the old trading posts and inns along the lane are integrated in a "historical route" of mediaeval origin, and on the Swedish west coast there are old roads between the mediaeval landscapes along the coast as well as in the inland areas. In Jutland the old southwards driftway played a part in the cattle transportation between the districts and the market places. Along the southern North Sea coast the routes between the old landscapes make nice hiking trails for present day walkers. Arriving in Durham on one of the old trails will instil in you a feeling for the town and the landscape which is completely different than the feeling you would get arriving by the motorway. And in addition, many of the historical routes will give insight into how the settlements have developed. |
