Have yourself a wall of a time: Carlisle has many delights, from Roman times to the present day

FOR centuries Scots made the lot of people in the borders city of Carlisle a living hell.

If it wasn’t Robert The Bruce laying siege, it was a band of unscrupulous Scots families, known as the Border Reivers, pillaging and plundering their way across the region at the end of the 16th Century.

That’s not to say the fault lay solely with the Scots. There was fault on both sides of Hadrian’s Wall.

But the Reivers were such a nuisance the Archbishop of Glasgow, Gavin Dunbar, put a curse on all the families responsible.

I’ve managed to trace my direct descendants – and the Blackstock name – back to mid-18th Century Dumfriesshire.

And I’ve long suspected my forefathers might have been involved in these border shenanigans.

With that in mind it’s with a fair amount of trepidation I lead the current Blackstock clan to Carlisle for the weekend.

Fortunately, when we breach the city’s limits we aren’t struck by warring factions. Instead, we find a warm welcome from the good people of Carlisle – especially in the hotel apartments we are calling home for two nights.

The luxurious self-catering rooms at The Halston Aparthotel are in the heart of the city.

Opened up in the last year, it boasts a wine bar and restaurant, 16 rooms kitted out in sleek deco style, a spa and function rooms.

Our apartment comfortably sleeps five with two bedrooms, a spacious lounge with a fold-down bed, a main bathroom and an en suite bathroom. There’s also an open-plan lounge and kitchen.

Of course, eating in on holiday isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and there are a host of top notch restaurants close by.

We opted for The Halston’s own bistro, Barton’s Yard, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

Of course, you don’t come to an ancient town like Carlisle to spend your time pigging out so I was keen to sample the local history.

Award-winning Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery is a must-see.

As well as offering fascinating insights into Roman Britain and those aforementioned dastardly Border Reivers, it boasts a top-notch art gallery.

When we visited, the Roman exhibition gave you the chance to don the clobber of the day, which our kids loved.

They also enjoyed the nearby Walby Farm on the outskirts of the city, a working farm complete with animals, as well as an outdoor and indoor adventure park.

Walby gave them a break from the history lessons as well as letting them burn off some energy.

Nearby, Carlisle Castle is an essential, too.

To get there from the city centre you use an underpass, which is home to the granite Cursing Stone, inscribed with Archbishop Dunbar’s curse.

Locals swear that since its 2001 unveiling, misfortune has plagued the city with livestock herds wiped out by foot-and-mouth disease, repeated devastating floods, factory closures and the city’s football team, Carlisle United, enduring a torrid time!

The castle was built by William Rufus (William the Conqueror’s son) and it wasn’t its last brush with celebrities from the Middle Ages.

In 1306, a parliament was held there by Edward I and in 1567 it became a temporary jail for Mary, Queen of Scots.

Being so close to Scotland the spectre of Caledonia looms large.

And no visit to Carlisle would be complete without a trip to Hadrian’s Wall, built by Romans to keep the Scots out and which ran for 80 miles across the breadth of the UK.

Or so the story goes.

It’s actually a common misconception the wall marks the boundary between England and Scotland and has never actually marked the border.

Despite the historical fallacy about the Wall it’s still a must-see and the kids loved imagining what life would have been like for the Roman sentries who watched out for the Scottish barbarians at the gate.

Sadly, all too quickly, we are on the way home to Scotland – our time roman across historical Carlisle is at an end.

Facts

The Halston Aparthotel, Carlisle – rooms start from £99 per person, see thehalston.com
Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle. Children, 17 and under, free when accompanied by a paying adult. Adult museum admission £7.70, concession (senior citizens, students over 18 years) £5.50. See tulliehouse.co.uk

Carlisle Castle, children £4.10, adult £6.80, concession, £6.10, see http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/

Walby Farm Park, Crosby-on-Eden, children’s admission £9.95, adults £9.45, concessions £6.50. See walbyfarmpark.co.uk