Hardknott Roman Fort

Hardknott Roman Fort, known to the Romans as Mediobogdum, was built on a rocky spur above Eskdale between around AD120 and AD138, during Hadrian’s reign, to guard the road between the fort at Ravenglass on the coast and Ambleside inland. English Heritage manages the site today, on land owned by the National Trust, and access is free at any reasonable time during daylight hours.

A small parking area sits just off the road, right beside the site, at the top of Hardknott Pass, one of the steepest roads in England. From the car the walk in is short, though English Heritage’s own description warns of uneven surfaces and steep slopes rather than a level path, so it is not a site for wheelchairs or anyone unsteady on rough ground. What survives are the footings of the fort’s walls, gateways and headquarters building, along with the outline of its bathhouse lower down the slope and a parade ground cut into the hillside above.

The view is the draw for anyone not especially interested in Roman military architecture: the fort looks out over both upper and lower Eskdale, a wide panorama for so little walking, with the valley running away in both directions below the ramparts. Few Roman sites in Britain occupy a more dramatic position.

This suits anyone driving Hardknott Pass anyway, and combines naturally with a stop for Harter Fell or a day exploring Eskdale by car. It does not suit anyone hoping to avoid Hardknott Pass itself, since the fort’s whole appeal rests on a position that only that road reaches.