Channel 4 - Walking Through History Series 2 (2013) Part 2 Rome in the Lakes

Walking Through History: Series 2

Tony Robinson embarks on more spectacular walks through historic landscapes in search of rich stories from Britain's past.

Part 2: Rome in the Lakes

It was 30 years after the Romans invaded Britain that they were ready to take on the challenge of conquering the Lake District. With the toughest landscape they had encountered in the country, peopled by a rebellious tribe, it was no small task. Two full legions - 11,000 armed men - marched north, led by two top generals. This extraordinary commitment was rewarded, and within a few years, the whole of Lakeland was under Roman control. Tony Robinson tackles the journey, but, as he discovers on this 50-mile walk from Penrith past Ullswater to Ambleside and on to the Irish Sea at Ravenglass, the Romans encountered beauty and danger in equal measure. Today the Lakes may be better known for Wordsworth, Beatrix Potter and, of course, walking holidays, but for centuries they were a hive of industry: a rich source of lead, silver and iron. The Romans carved roads through the region and built impressive forts, bath houses and a major port, enabling them to keep control and export the minerals they wanted. But the traffic was not all one-way. As Tony discovers, many of the native Britons enthusiastically adopted Roman customs.

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