Hadrian's Wall Path

The Roman Empire extended far, extruding into England as far as close to the current border of Scotland. To the North of their reach was the land of the Ancient Britons, which included the Picts. Said to be built to separate the Romans from the barbarians, Emperor Hadrian began construction of a wall in AD 122, although there are no clear evidence that this was the sole purpose of the wall. Other reasons noted are to control trade. The construction of the wall lasted for six years. Now only parts of the Hadrian's Wall remains intact. A long-distance trail was constructed following the line of the ancient wall, Hadrian's Wall Path, enabling hikers to walk next to the remains of the wall and experience the history surrounding the old Roman legacy. The trail runs for about 135km between Wallsend outside Newcastle to Bowness-on-Solway on Solway Firth.

In the summer of 2013, I journeyed to England and the end of the Roman Empire to walk the Hadrian's Wall Path. Here you will find my tale from my walk next to the Hadrian's Wall:

Day   1 (09.06):Wallsend - Heddon-on-the-Wall

Day   2 (10.06):Heddon-on-the-Wall - Wall

Day   3 (11.06):Wall - Once Brewed

Day   4 (12.06):Once Brewed - Walton

Day   5 (13.06):Walton - Carlisle

Day   6 (14.06):Carlisle - Bowness-on-Solway

Hadrian's Wall Path @ 12:00

Hadrian's Wall Path // day 6 // Carlisle - Bowness-on-Solway

Distance: 23,8km.

A last morning on the walk and it is always a thoughtful morning when you know that by the end of the day you've completed the walk. We decide to quickly go through the streets of Carlisle after breakfast and to the Sands Centre where we will come back to the trail where we left it yesterday. The flag on Carlisle Castle greets us blowing in the air. We walk under the bridge and are on our way towards Bowness-on-Solway and an end to a journey along Roman and English history.

The trail goes under the bridge built for Border Union Railway after Carlisle, the bridge is now closed.

There are no signs of the Romans when we continue the walk in a loop around Eden and out of Carlisle. The weather is cloudy on our last day of the walk alongside a wall we no longer can see. We pass under a bridge that was built for the Border Union Railway; the bridge is built on the skew on purpose and was opened in 1859. The bridge is now closed and by that we're leaving Carlisle behind us. We are now at the same time following the Cumbria Coastal Way alongside the river towards Grinsdale.

Alessandra at a gate before Kirkandrews-on-Eden.

Between Grinsdale and Kirkandrews-on-Eden we can still see what was once upon a time the vallum of the wall. The horizon bears portents of rain when we cross a tiny stone bridge with the amusing name of Sourmilk Bridge. A part of the trail alongside Eden are closed before Beaumont due to erosion, instead we have to go to Beaumont by the road (later on we got to hear that someone else had walked the part without problems). Just before coming to Beaumont we're crossing a field where we are so lucky to arrive at the same time as the farmer fertilizing it, smell-on-the-wall.

The church at Beaumont which is literally built on top of where Hadrian's Wall went, the Normans used the stones from the wall to build the church as well.

In Beaumont the church is standing right on top of where the wall went. The Normans used the stones from the wall to build the church as well. We're still accompanying the Cumbria Coastal Way on a small and quiet road after Beaumont. We switch between two roads by a short green interlude before we arrive at Burgh by Sands and the Roman fort Aballava (apple orchard) that no one can see anything of. We are the first guests of the day at The Greyhound Inn having decided it's time for a little break.

Alessandra outside The Greyhound Inn in Burgh by Sands.

At Dykesfield starts the part of today's walk that I have been looking forward to the most, the passage over the marshes by Solway Firth. A tide table has been posted at Dykesfield, for by extreme high tidal water and a lot of rain the water here can stand several feet above the ground. Its low tide when we arrive at the Burgh Marsh, so there is little danger for us having to swim across the long and flat stretch. A bird wails in the distance.

Walking over the wetland at Solway Firth in rain. A desolate stretch of marsh and bog. The water can stand as high as three feet above the road at its most.

We start the walk alongside the marshland and the dismantled railway line, the sky changes to a dull grey color. More and more darker spots are appearing on the road. The rain is washing over us. Under the grey blanket we can barely see the rivermouth that goes out into Solway Firth. Cows wanders wet over the marshland. There is an embankment by the side of the road, which is not a part of Hadrian's Wall, but a wall against the tide water. It is flooding from above; several walkers are seeking shelter under a bus stop at Boustead Hill. The grey wall is hammering down upon us while it passes overhead.

A cow walking by the wall walkers at Easton Marsh. The rain is abated a little and is moving on towards Scotland.

We continue walking through the desolate stretch while the rain is abating little by little, this is the biggest rainfall we've had on the whole walk. I would like to experience how it is here when the tide is at its highest. The rain clouds drifts further on behind us and in the direction of Scotland. We can look out towards Solway Firth and the sea. There is a line of walkers over the marsh. We arrive on safe ground in Drumburgh on the other side.

The long and flat stretch over the wetland between Burgh by Sands and Drumburgh.

At Glasson it's high tide for lunch. We occupy The Highland Laddie Inn, so named since it's said that Bonnie Prince Charlie stopped here. While we're eating lunch our clothes dries up after the deluge. A couple of other walkers are here as well, we talk for a while with a couple from the Isle of Man.

Lunch at The Highland Laddie Inn in Glasson.

Then the last verse of the walk remains. At Solway Firth we can see two haaf-net fishermen out in the water; these are standing out in the water with water up almost up to their chest and are fishing with a large net strung up between them. The waves are rolling onto the beach while we walk towards Port Carlisle. Since all the places to stay in Bowness were occupied we found a place for the night here, The Hope & Anchor. Before we take the last steps on the walk we check in and take a short break.

Out from Port Carlisle with the last steps on the walk towards Bowness-on-Solway.

We move quietly over the small and abandoned looking stretch between Port Carlisle and Bowness-on-Solway, on the other side of the water is Scotland. The waves are continuing its dance towards the beaches just before we arrive at the last stop of the journey. A sign greets us welcome to the end/start of Hadrian's Wall. Now only a short promenade down to The Banks is remaining. Ave Terminvm Callis Hadriani Avgvsti Pervenisti. We are at the end of the wall and have walked all the way from Wallsend. In the little hut that marks the end of the walk is also George, who we've met several times on the trail. A last stamp in the passport.

Alessandra and me at The Banks in Bowness-on-Solway and the end of the walk. At the end of the wall all the way from Wallsend.

Down by the water I take a look out towards the sea. We sit down at the end of the walk and enjoy the peaceful moment for a while, listening to the peculiar sound of the sea rolling in onto the beach. Clouds drift by over the horizon, small glimpses of sunlight in the sea.

Solway Firth and Scotland.

And then we leave the Hadrian's Wall Path and take a look at Bowness-on-Solway, which is a cozy, but sleepy place. It's sort of customary for the walkers finishing in Bowness to meet at the King's Arms, so we pay a visit to the inn for the mandatory celebration. Here we meet again Karl, and his parents. Not long afterwards George is coming before Truls and Kristian arrives a little bit tired after celebrating a little bit in advance in Carlisle. Another walker we've met, Graham, is also joining us, as well as the couple from Isle of Man. I order salmon from Solway Firth for dinner, hopefully fished by the haaf-net fishermen. A nice evening finishes a great walk across Northern England.

Celebrating the end of the walk at The King's Arms in Bowness: Karl, Alessandra, George, Truls, Kristian and me.

When we leave in the evening it has become dark outside. And it has started to rain. We make our way in the small light of our headlamps alongside the little desolate stretch back to Port Carlisle. It is quiet. Small lights can be seen from Scotland on the other side of Solway Firth. A journey is over...another begins...

A journey is over...another begins.

<- Carlisle

Hadrian's Wall Path // day 5 // Walton - Carlisle

Distance: 17,6km.

Today the trail is heading towards a larger town and to a more flat landscape. It is also the shortest stage on the walk. We're going to Carlisle and we're currently at Walton 17km away.

Sandysike Bunkhouse.

We wake up quite refreshed to a breakfast in the stately guesthouse. The weather is a dull grey outside when we start walking again. A farm landscape in the beginning, passing several farms and acres on our way. Cows and sheep are abundant as usual. From now on is neither the wall nor the remains of it visible anymore, but sometimes you can discern the contours of where the ditch has gone.

Bridge over Cam Beck.

Green meadows at Cambeckhill.

At Bleatarn we meet one of the enthusiasts that maintain the trail, well into cutting the grass so that the walkers can walk more easily. Something that has been quite visible on several parts on the trail. Next to one of the typical gates we have to pass is a box with a lid on top of it. When we open the lid a sort of self-serviced kiosk in a box is appearing, The Stall-on-the-Wall. As with The Haytongate Hut there is here also something to eat and drink for sale, payment by an honesty box. We meet again the maintenance guy on the other side of the field at Wall Head.

The trail goes through a verdant tunnel.

The fields and the meadows continue to be the background for the walk until we cross a larger road, a sign that we're approaching a larger place. Yet again we meet the enthusiast that moves from place to place on the trail and making sure the trail is presentable.

The Stall-on-the-Wall at Bleatarn. A small selection of refreshments and food for a tired walker where you pay in an honesty box.

The Stag Inn in Low Crosby becomes the scene of the crime for lunch and a beer. Afterwards it's time for another walk alongside a river again, and it is a river with the alluring name of Eden that the route selects to follow. We meet our friend again for the fourth and last time down by the river. The peaceful walk alongside the river is only interrupted by crossing something that is far away from the name of the river, the very scenic M6-motorway.

Bleatarn Park.

The Stag Inn in Low Crosby. The scene of the crime for an invasion by a walker on a hunt for a beer.

The wall is now completely out of sight, instead we're bemused by the quite curious houses we passes by at Rickerby, not the least by a tower that stands out in the middle of a field. Built by an enthusiast for towers and turrets called George Head Head in the nineteenth century. A house bears the words Study Quiet.

A walk alongside Eden.

The tower built by George Head Head standing out in the middle of a field.

Around us it soon gets apparent that we're soon arriving in the center of Carlisle, even though we wander alongside a river with flower on both our sides. More and more houses can be seen behind the trees. We walk through a small and dense green area and then we can stamp for the sixth time at Sands Centre, we're in Carlisle. It's time to play tourists after finishing the walk for today, a short and ok walk without the big highlights.

Carlisle Castle.

In Carlisle we split up, me to go look at the Carlisle Castle, while Alessandra goes to see the Tullin House museum. We meet afterwards to go to the guesthouse we're staying at in Carlisle, Cornerways Guesthouse. It's a sleepy afternoon in the town. We eat dinner at Davids Restaurant, where we're being served the best dinner during our walk. And quiet flows the Eden.

<- WaltonBowness-on-Solway ->

Hadrian's Wall Path // day 4 // Once Brewed - Walton

Distance: 27,0km.

It's cloudy weather in the morning when we leave The Twice Brewed Inn and start walking up towards Steel Rigg where the trail continues. The longest stage of the journey ahead of us. A small look backwards from where we came from yesterday brings back great memories, but it's onward we're going. As a change there are no remains of old Roman buildings in the start of the walk this time.

View back in the direction of Sewingshields Crags from Steel Rigg on the way up towards the highest point on the route.

The white acorn nut shows us the way up to the highest point on the walk, Green Slack at 345m. It isn't much to brag about, but since the area around is so flat it will provide a great view of the surroundings anyway. The north is still kind of looking desolate back at us from the top. Like before the wall is undulating up and down the green crags.

Green Slack, the highest point on the trail at 345m.

A tree reaches over the wall and spreads its leaves and branches over the trail.

Going up and down in the emerald landscape and then we're coming to a disused quarry. There some school children are learning how to use a canoe, which is nice; they're also learning how to use a machine gun, which isn't that very nice. Shaking our heads we pass Aesica Roman Fort (or Great Chesters) without quite knowing that we're passing it. At Cockmount Hill the terrain bears resemblance of a highland plateau (only lower). Bromlee Lough and Sewingshields Crags still visible in the background.

Typical British house at Cockmount Hill.

Now the sun is starting to become interested in joining our walk, the clouds are cracking up. In the small gap before Walltown Crags I'm getting confused by the guidebook and we end up walking towards the heath in the wrong direction. After some confusion we find out where we are by Turret 45a. It's getting warmer and down towards Walltown Quarry the sun is illuminating a green landscape in front of us.

We stop for a break down by the little pond at the quarry. The sun can be seen reflecting itself in the water while the ducks croaks from the pond. Behind us lies the last crag on the walk. Not far away lies Carvoran and Magnis Roman Fort, but we're letting the Romans be in peace for this time and continue walking further in the direction of Gilsland. A strong wind is blowing over the fields before Thirlwall, but it is easily subdued by the sound of a fighter jet plane that shortly afterwards is flying straight over us making my ears scream. The ruin of Thirlwall Castle stands just as quiet and watches over us with old eyes.

A resemblance of a highland plateau after Cockmount Hill.

It's a nice walk through lush surroundings before we arrive at Gilsland, we've now descended from the crags and the landscape is much flatter. In a place the trail is also literally going right through a garden. We arrive at Samson Inn just after they've closed serving food, but they're very nice and prepare lunch for us anyway.

A sycamore at Walltown Crags.

At Birdoswald Fort we stamp our passports for the fourth time, but are skipping going in to look at the fort. From outside we could see more than enough of the remains and we have started to make up a clear picture of how the forts looked like.

Walltown Quarry.

The ruin of Thirlwall Castle with eyes from the past watching over the trail.

A serene walk along a quiet road leads us to Haytongate. Here it has been put a sort of small self-serviced store, which reminds me of the Camino. I buy myself a cold coke and put the pound in the honesty box.

Remains of the wall at Gilsland.

A long days walk go towards its end when we're getting closer to Walton, here we're met by a cacophony of bleating sheep, everywhere. On the map there is marked a pub or an inn in Walton that should be lying adjacent to the route, but when we walk through the little place we can't see any trace of it. We're staying the night at a place called Sandysike Bunkhouse that is situated just outside of Walton, the plan was to go there first for then to go back to Walton to get something to eat for dinner. But Alessandra's feet are now hurting quite a lot and she is skeptical to the plan of going back to the village to eat, unsure if she can make it. In the end we give up the search for the inn and continue towards Sandysike, which appears to be quite a lucky stroke.

The Haytongate Hut, a small hut based on trust. You take what you want (refreshments, biscuits, fruits, chocolate, etc.) and then pay for what you take in an honesty box.

We arrive at Sandysike Bunkhouse and receive a warm welcome. We almost haven't come through the doors before we have been offered dinner. It soon gets clear that the only place you could have gotten food from in Walton, Centurion Inn, has been closed for a while. After happily saying yes to the offer of dinner we're being escorted to our room for the night, which is a large almost too personal room. The last remains of the thought going to the inn in Walton disappear when it appear that I can get a cold beer here as well.

Alessandra and me reflected in a mirror by the road at Banks.

The house we're staying at is a typical British stately mansion, the kitchen is just nice. In addition having a room for bed & breakfast they also offer the possibility to camp outside and in a bunkhouse. The two Norwegian boys that we've met, Truls and Kristian, arrives later and are camping outside, in the addition to Karl that goes the trail for charity. We eat dinner together in a dining room that fits the house. Rain sets in while we're eating. We ended a long and nice walk with a nice evening in Sandysike.

The dining room in Sandysike Bunkhouse, Alessandra is satisfied.

<- Once BrewedCarlisle ->

Hadrian's Wall Path // day 3 // Wall - Once Brewed

Distance: 20,8km.

It is starting to become a routine now, to start the stage with a specific part of the wall. This time we start at Chesters Fort (Cilurnum) at Chollerford. But first we have to eat some breakfast in Wall and then walk the little trip to the remains of the fort. The sky is grey and bears omens of bad weather.

Chesters Fort at Chollerford.

Alessandra at Black Carts.

As the trail now moves over higher contours is it here also much clearer contours of the remains of the fort than at Segedunum. You can walk in between the remaining parts and get more of a feeling how it was here before. There is a quiet moment down by the river with an overview over where the wall crossed the river North Tyne.

Back on the trail some lonely drops of water are coming from the sky while we walk alongside the road out of Chollerford. After Walwick the path follows green meadows and fields. Cows are grazing and are looking stupidly at us. We pass innumerable gates and stiles. At Black Carts we enter the Northumberland National Park; from here large parts of the wall are visible alongside the trail.

View to the heath and the moorland to the north, the desolate mood accentuated by the grey weather.

Remains of a turret at Sewing Shields.

The landscape around us takes on a more and more desolate form, though that is kind of a vague thing to say about England. In the horizon the landscape is undulating more and more under the grey veil. The rain greets us after Milecastle 30, together with the wall. We pass Brocolitia Fort, but we can see more of the Mithraeum temple than the fort.

Alessandra and me on our way up the Sewingshields Crags.

While the rain creates a grey and thin blanket over us and the wastelands of the barbarians we wander along the remains of a wall of past times. At Carraw a sign give promises of tea and refreshments. We walk through the backside of a farm and are met with the sight of a dead cow and calf. We turn and take the route around. The quite morbid sight doesn't hinder us from getting a good cup of hot tea in the rain at Carraw Bed & Breakfast though.

Sewingshields Crags.

Bromlee Lough.

Then the landscape unfolds to a feeling of the moor. In old days it must have been considered a very desolate place, which makes you wonder how it must have been for the roman soldiers that patrolled the wall here. Desolate and abandoned, with the barbarians howling outside of the wall during the nights. Now it's quiet on the moor. A little lake emerge on the other side of a complete other wall than Hadrian's, Shield on the Wall Dam. The tranquility in the national park is torn apart by a large group of motorcyclists just afterwards.

Undulating hills and crags.

In the horizon there have now become more and more distinct crags visible. The rain has gone quiet when we walk through a small forest by Sewing Shields. We're now gliding into a mythical landscape, where the wall is going over Sewingshields Crags with a great view towards the desolate north. The sky is colored like the inside of a shell, with a kind of pale pearlescent color. A nice light becomes a beautiful sight when Bromlee Lough appears and the view is dominated by the distinct shapes of the crags that undulate onwards in the horizon. The reconstructed wall of John Clayton goes along the hillsides on the top of the crags.

Remains of the Roman Fort at Housesteads (Vercovicium). We flipped a coin wether to go in to look at the ruins or not, we ended up going in.

The known northern gate of Milecastle 37.

We crawl over the wall at King's Wicket to eat lunch in shelter for the wind, but at that side we're not sheltered from the scots in the north. The third fort stands in line waiting for us when we arrive at Housesteads, or Vercovicium, here the fort is even more preserved. Up to 800 men were stationed here. We stamp our third stamp of seven before walking in between the ruins. With the fort guarding towards the north beyond us we walk on further towards the end of today's journey.

Looking back in the direction we came from, the crags and the hills are breaking up the otherwise flat and desolate landscape.

Sycamore Gap. A big sycamore tree is filling up the gap between two hills.

At Crag Lough the sides of the hills are going straight downwards; little farms are visible here and there. And then the trail is going steep down to Sycamore Gap, where it isn't hard to understand how it got its name. In the middle of the crags a huge and lonely sycamore tree is standing. A clear sign that we're near today's destination, at the top of the hill I can look down at the Twice Brewed Inn in Once Brewed. The names make me think of what I want now, a good and cold beer to celebrate today's great walk.

We abandon the thoughts of going to Vindobala, another fort that is located a couple of kilometers away from the inn. The fort isn't said to be more special than those we have seen already, but the museum there contains supposedly a lot of artifacts that has been excavated from the fort that could be interesting to see. Time isn't always available. In the evening there is a lot of life and a nice atmosphere at the inn, quiz in the bar. We go to sleep while the night outside gets darker by the rain that yet again is being released over Hadrian's Wall.

The Twice Brewed Inn in Once Brewed.

<- WallWalton ->

Hadrian's Wall Path // day 2 // Heddon-on-the-Wall - Wall

Distance: 23,5km.

England is offering cloudy weather in the morning on the second day of our walk along the wall of Hadrian. As usual it's also offered full English breakfast. We eat the breakfast inside the winter garden of the guesthouse we're staying at, through the windows we can look down towards the valley below.

Heddon-on-the-Wall, the first remains of the wall you get to see after leaving Wallsend.

In Wallsend, we started the walk by the remains of a Roman fort; it is then fitting to continue the walk by the first parts of Hadrian's Wall you get to see after Wallsend. The wall is then left quiet alone while the horses on the nearby farm watch us vigilantly when we leave Heddon-on-the-Wall. We're now walking alongside the wall, but where the wall was going there is now a road. Which is something of a recurring theme throughout this stage.

At Vindobala, nothing much to see of the old Roman fort.

Even so, it is rural surroundings we're walking in, a green countryside around us. Though we're getting reminders of that the city isn't far away by the low-flying airplane. The trail goes mostly on tracks and not on the tarmac. There are no remaining visible parts left at Vindobala, another Roman fort, they are well hidden beneath the grass. So little does the place give away that it has been a Roman outpost here that you would've gone unnoticed by it if it weren't for a sign marking the location. Things change with the time, which is also apparent by Harlow Hill. Here the church has been converted into a barn; a closer look at the backside of the church reveals a big barn door carved out of the nave.

Grey weather over green meadows.

Alessandra smiling behind one of the countless gates and stiles we had to go through on the walk.

After having climbed over yet another stile (we got lost counting all the gates and stiles we had to go through during the day) a view opens to reveal Whittle Dene reservoir. Down towards the water a meadow of yellow unfolds. Out on the reservoir a heron stand guarding towards the North instead of the Romans. Some swans are swimming around in the water. A little bird observatory has been put up by the lake, I note the following observations in the observatory book: 1 heron, 2 swans, 1 Alessandra, 1 Tarjei.

Whittle Dene reservoir.

I've already talked about the yellow arrows, but somebody have also came up with the idea of making a Hadrian's Wall Passport, yet another thing that makes me think about the Camino. The first stamp was of course at Segedunum (you got to stamp seven times to earn the certificate of achievement). The second one are we however coming to now, the Robin Hood Inn. I don't think the wall was built to keep Robin Hood out. We meet the two boys that were camping outside The Swan. But there is a little bit embarrassing that it takes a while before we finds out that they actually are from Norway, and it is my Italian friend that is finding it out. I put myself in the gauntlet outside the inn as a punishment (and a beer).

The path continues its walk alongside the wall in rural scenery, but never far from a road. The green and undulating meadows make for a hobbit-landscape. At Down Hill there are some large stones that are ideal for a break, with a great overview over the countryside. The clouds have been on the run for a while now and sun and blue sky are accompanying us from above.

In the gauntlet outside Robin Hood Inn.

Halton Castle lies a short walk from the route. We're drowned by a choir of sheep on the way down to see what can be seen of the castle. This is also the path down towards Corbridge and the Roman fort located there. But it's a long addition to today's walk so we only go as far as Halton Castle and what little we can see of it.

Newer walls are lying over where Hadrian's Wall was going, the trail follows the road over lush meadows.

Wandering alongside the ditch of the Hadrian's Wall.

After turret 24a the landscape is opening up to a nice vista, here is the ditch quite visible alongside the road. By Planetrees we catch up again with the two Norwegian boys, Kristian and Truls. We can also again see a visible part of the wall. A mansion is looking down towards us.

The visible remains of the wall at Planetrees.

We arrive at Wall, a quite modest English village, no trace of any wall here despite the name. We have reserved a room at The Hadrian Hotel - Inn. This is something I've been looking forward to, to spend the night at an English inn. So, mince and leek for dinner, supplemented by an English ale. A nice evening at the inn ended the second day on the journey through nice and rural surroundings, but never far from a road (or a wall).

From The Hadrian Hotel - Inn.

<- Heddon-on-the-WallOnce Brewed ->