Today was Mother’s Day, and the first one we’ve celebrated while on holiday. The boys did a fantastic job of making me feel special, with gifts of books, sweets, and lots of handmade cards, pictures, and gifts. After a breakfast in bed, followed by a second breakfast of bacon and eggs, it was time for me to choose the day’s adventure. I went with Housesteads Roman Fort, a part of Hadrian’s Wall that we had planned to visit last October but ran out of time.

It turned out to be an excellent choice! The fort is perched on a steep hill, so it was a bit of a hike up, but once we got there, the views were absolutely stunning, and the fort itself was incredibly impressive. The site has a shop and an information centre, which includes a short video on what the fort looked like back in the day, along with some artefacts to explore. The boys also enjoyed the dress-up station, where they could pretend to be Roman soldiers and reenact Roman fights—definitely one of their favourite parts!

Once we made it to the Roman Fort, we were all really impressed by how much larger it was than we expected, and we had a great time walking around, learning about its history, and soaking in the views. Oliver especially loved exploring every nook and cranny of the fort.

Afterward, we took a short drive to Steel Rigg, which was only a couple of minutes away. A short walk down, followed by a bit of an uphill trek along the Wall and the crag (Lyndsey wasn’t too fond of this part), brought us to the top, where the view was breathtaking. Definitely worth the climb!

Pro tip: Wear walking boots if you plan on doing this walk—definitely makes the journey easier!

We ended the day with a steak and chips dinner and a couple of glasses of rosé—a perfect way to finish off a wonderful Mother’s Day.

8646 steps today, and a perfect day all around!