In the steps of Robin Hood

Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen;
Robin Hood, Robin Hood, with his band of men;

feared by the bad, loved by the good,

Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Robin Hood.

I make no apologies for being a Robin Hood fan. Ever since Richard Greene shot his arrow across my old black & white TV screen, I've been hooked.  I've even stood in the hollow of the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest, where Robin and his merry men once sheltered... and you can't do that any more as it's been fenced off to protect its ancient timbers from people like me.

Robin Hood (Richard Greene) with his merry band of
outlaws, in the oft-repeated 1950's TV series

I have my mum to thank for most of this. She grew up in Nottingham and her family lived near that fair city throughout my childhood. So it will doubtless come of little surprise that the 1991 film "Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves" has a place in my collection of DVDs. Many film critics – particularly those from west of The Pond – have been merciless in downing the film, but I love it.  The important thing, I guess, is not to take it too seriously, particularly the swashbuckling antics of Robin, Will Scarlet and Little John. 

The legend of Robin Hood is, of course, firmly set in Nottinghamshire, but that didn't stop film makers using a long list of locations for Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, none of which were anywhere near Nottingham! Hence we see Robin Hood coming ashore beneath the white cliffs of the Severn Sisters in East Sussex and declaring to his friend Azeem that they would be in Nottinghamshire by nightfall.  Poor horse!

One instantly recognisable location was Hadrian's Wall at Highshield Crags, in Northumberland, which I included in a very pleasant 9 mile ramble during my recent holiday. 

Here's a scene from the film, with Robin Hood (Kevin Costner) leaping for joy to be back in his homeland, while Azeem (Morgan Freeman) leaves him to it, in search of a quite spot.  The grey, foreboding skies are part of the story, by the way, leading Azeem to protest "Is there no sun in this curséd country?"

Here's the same spot, in sunshine that would surely have pleased Azeem.  The tree is known locally as... yes, you've guessed it — Robin Hood's Tree.

To my mind, Highshield Crags is the best bit of the 84 mile Hadrian's Wall Path, with the nearby Winshield Crags coming a close second.  Here are a couple of views of Crag Lough, the first looking east from the crags, and the second looking west from the other end, as I made my way to Housteads Roman Fort. 

 

It's funny how ones memory can play tricks.  I felt sure that, when I last walked the Wall in 2004, I got into Housteads without paying, and that they were only charging for the car park.  No such luck this time, as the old Roman gateway was firmly fenced off.  I could have trekked round to the entrance at the foot of the hill, but thought better of it.  The nearby fort of Vindolanda beckoned (and will probably appear in a future post) so I retraced my steps to Craig Lough and set off, across the countryside. For now, I'll leave you with this distant view of Vindolanda from the hillside.