Day 49 Part 1 - In Roman footsteps

Tom left early for school so I chatted with Jon about his A levels before breakfast. We agreed that the breadth of knowledge they demand makes this the toughest part of the education path. I keep thinking about my own son Jon taking his A levels at the same time.

Pete and Cathy were very encouraging about my hope of turning the story of this adventure into a modest book. Their writing is so compellingly good and it was very helpful to hear their thoughts.

Pete returned from a schools event in the cathedral and we said our farewells.

I didn't fancy the direct main road route to Sutton Coldfield so picked up the lane to Wall, once a small Roman town but now a bypassed village. Its main street once bore the feet of legions and later the first generations of motorists. But the A5 was diverted a long time ago and has itself been superseded by the M6 Toll road.

I popped to the Trooper Inn for a pint of Abbott Ale and an incredibly cheap lunch. My large steaming plate of chilli and chips cost £2.

Lee, the Trooper's manager, has what you might call an aggressive pricing policy. All starters are £1, main courses £2 or £3, and desserts £1. He's only had the place for nine weeks and I wished him well.

The remains of a Letocetum's bath house and its hostel are uncovered and open for visitors to wander around. It must have been 40 years since I was last there. The remains aren't tremendously impressive and it needs a good deal of imagination to visualise how the site would have looked.

(continues in Part Two)