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AD: Hadrian’s biographer, Spartianus refers to serious disturbances in Britain when Hadrian ascended to power: “the Britons could not be held under Roman control” while the contemporary Cornelius Fronto tellingly records the probable demise of the ninth: “as many Roman soldiers were killed by the Britons at the beginning of Hadrian’s rule as by the Jews” (which cross-refers to the loss of the twenty-second legion Deiotariana in fighting in the middle east). Fashionable modern suggestions that the ninth were transferred elsewhere in the empire for a date with destiny can be discounted as entirely unrecorded and unproven. The final stop of the day is Stranraer, a coastal town on the shores of Loch Ryan. You can walk along the refurbished pier and glimpse views of Arran and Ailsa Craig. But in recent times, the town has become increasingly well-known for its focus on music.

AD: Aulus Plautius invades southern England and smashes the southern tribes at a series of encounters at river crossings. Claudius arrives to receive the southern tribes formal submission at modern Colchester then leaves with instructions to Plautius to conquer “the rest”. You could for example seamlessly continue with my West Coast of Scotland itinerary by taking the ferry from Ardrossan to Campbeltown! Allow me to exaggerate: no one is going to Scotland’s southern regions. While many locals and domestic visitors consider them among their favourites, mostinternational visitors will never set foot to areas south of Glasgow and Edinburgh. AD: Civil war within the Roman empire as various contenders fight for supreme control. Clodius Albinus, governor of Britain crosses to the continent with most of the British garrison and is narrowly but decisively defeated at Lyons by Septimus Severus. Probable that Hadrian’s Wall is denuded of troops during this episode and that the Caledonians and Maetae (who can safely assume to have been in treaty agreement with Albinus) act in concert to take advantage of the situation following the death of Albinus. AD: Following reverses elsewhere in the empire the garrison of Britannia is put under continuing pressure with both troop relocations and from the resurgent Caledonian tribes. Roman withdrawal from Scotland is from hereon undertaken in fairly rapid then consolidating stages further south. These retreats probably closely paralleled tribal boundaries or major natural features such as rivers. Evacuated tribal areas were most likely bound with treaties and agreements of aid and military assistance as was common along the Rhine frontier. Suggested staged withdrawal:We had to make our way to the airport at a good pace and chose the most direct path north through the Galloway Forest Park. That way, the road was our sightseeing and we only stopped for a few photos of mountain and forest views in the area. The geography of Scotland is distinguished by its Highlands and Lowlands, two primary regions that vary greatly in terrain and character. The Highlands, located in the northern and western parts of the country, are renowned for their rugged, mountainous landscapes. The tallest peak in the region and the entire United Kingdom is Ben Nevis, which stands at an impressive elevation of 4,413 feet. The Highlands also include the Grampian Mountains, a range that stretches from the southwest to the northeast and features numerous peaks above 3,000 feet. AD: Severus dies early in the year (February). The main legionary forces are still south in winter quarters outwith the main area of operations. Caracalla abandons campaigning apparently coming to an agreement with and no doubt favourable to the northern tribes. Caracalla hurriedly withdraws to Rome to secure an uncontested succession which he further consolidates by murdering his brother Geta in 212. The Severan bases at Carpow, Cramond and Carriden may have soldiered on into the 220s but are eventually abandoned, imperial interest having drifted elsewhere. AD: Urbicus campaigns in Scotland. Attempts to identify his campaigns are difficult as scholars tend to classify marching camps as either Flavian or Severan unless they are construction camps for work gangs next to the wall. There are 16 book shops in Wigtown – that’s one for every 62 inhabitants of this small bustling town. Most of them are located on Main Street and sell second-hand books – although each has a range of new releases too. We went to almost all of them and among my favourites were the giant Old Bank Bookshop, Well-Read Books, Byre Booksand ReadingLasses, which focuses on books by women.

AD: Construction of Hadrian’s wall and outlying forts (including Newstead) by elements of the II Augusta, VI Victrix and XX Valeria Victrix legions and detachments from the fleet (Classis Britannica). Including several revisions to the construction work and by moving forts onto the line of the running barrier from the old Stanegate line, building work is considered to have ceased only on Hadrian’s death in 138 AD. Clearly, there had been some dissent on Hadrians many “showy” policies and a revision to his policy regarding southern Scotland would dramatically change everything. I highly recommend a walk around the walled garden adjacent to the house and a wander along the woodland trails around the estate! Visit this restored Georgian house and garden and discover how it inspired one of the most treasured children’s stories. We chose to stay in two central locationsnear Melrose and Newton Stewart and did day trips from there. It is also possible to travel around the south road trip-style, i.e. changing accommodation every night or two. Distances are so feasible though, that this is not necessary if you prefer a more relaxed travel style. We stayed at a large holiday home in Newstead, about a 5-minute drive from the centre of Melrose (25 minutes on foot). The Old Paper House is a converted farmhouse with beautiful exposed wooden beams, tasteful decoration and a massive garden. It has 4 bedrooms and space for up to 8 people. Perfect for a family trip like ours!AD: Magnus Maximus, commander of the Roman Army in Britannia campaigns against the Picts and Scots, probably driving them (or their aristocracy) out of modern southern Scotland where they may have gained dominance. Maximus is popularly recorded as the forefather of federated “states” in southern Scotland with Galloway’s first ruler Antonius claiming dynastic descent from Maximus himself. AD: War in northern Britannia with massive legionary vexillations from those stationed in modern Spain and Germany arriving to make up for losses (presumably the ninth) disembarking at modern Newcastle. The matter was brought to a conclusion by governor Quintus Pompeius Falco. However, the manner in which it was concluded is not recorded.

The circular route follows roads along the coast of Dumfries & Galloway and into southern Ayrshire, an area which takes in part of a UNESCO Biosphere - Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere - and one of Scotland’s forest parks – the Galloway Forest Park. It’s the perfect way to discover the unique character of the south west of Scotland, with many places to stop and uncover fascinating heritage, stunning natural beauty and unique experiences.

Scotland's Road Trips

AD: Scots and Picts take advantage of the weakness of the beaten and weakened Roman garrison with continual “raiding”. Efforts are made to shore up failing defences which Gildas (504-70) illuminates referring to the construction of: “a turf wall from sea to sea” at this time, possibly an attempt by the governor to re-commission the Antonine wall as a running barrier, if only as an obstacle to raiding and driving reived cattle. It has been suggested that a form of patrolling of the barrier (probably greatly different than the manned garrisons of the mid 2nd C) may have been undertaken by the allied states (or fledgling kingdoms) of southern Scotland formalised by Maximus. No trip to the south-west of Scotland is complete without a stop in Wigtown, Scotland’s national book town. Bookworms, in particular, will love it here and could easily spend all day browsing the plethora of bookshops. AD: The last inscription in Britannia found recording the ninth legion. The ninth legion was always heavily involved in providing vexillations for detached service on the continent and the scanty records of the ninth at Nijmegan on the continent are most probably for such a vexillation. Otherwise, the parent unit disappears from the historical record around this period and was never recreated, a sure sign of destruction in battle, probably in action in southern Scotland (see 117-119 below). Drive toward Dumfries, and stop after 40 minutes in colorful Kirkcudbright (ask a local how to pronounce it!) on the coast for sea air and views of the 16th-century MacLellan’s Castle. After 45 more minutes on the road, you’ll arrive in Dumfries, following in the footsteps of Scotland’s most famous wordsmith and national bard, Robert Burns. Visit the Burns House (where he spent his final years), have lunch at the Globe Inn (the master’s favorite watering hole) and look out for his statue in the town square.