Then another change: heavy clouds appear to the north-west, and the rain comes down and blots out the Solway; which yet again gleams out in a long line of silver light before another half-hour has passed.
From the top of Winshields at midday I have more than once seen a huge red flare, like an evening sun, spring up and disappear again almost immediately. I am told this has been the destruction of ammunition dumps near Gretna Green. It must be a fearsome sight (and sound) at close quarters.
The Wall varies very much on Winshields; sometimes in tolerably good condition; sometimes a mere ruin.
The gaps here are called "slacks," a curious word, which I heard the people use for any depression or shallow dell.
Green Slack is a depression in the hill where there are traces of British dwellings; and then there is Lodham Slack, a deep heathery valley, where for some distance the Wall-ditch again becomes necessary, and runs, filled with rushes, on our right. There is very little heather along the line of the Wall.
Next comes Shield on the Wall, where there was a mile-castle, and where patches of rhubarb still mark the garden of the cottage which was built of the mile-castle stones.
Now Cawfields and the Nine Nicks of Thirlwall come into view ahead.
The next gap is Bogle Hole, with very steep sides; and Winshields comes to an end at Caw Gap, where a road runs through to the north.
As I descended Winshields, and came down into the road, it was raining fast on the Nine Nicks, though still sunny where I stood.