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 ->

Hadrian's Wall Path // day 1 // Wallsend - Heddon-on-the-Wall

Distance: 24,0km.

Wallsend has probably got its name by being the end of Hadrian's Wall (Vallum Aelium), but for me and Alessandra it is the start of the Hadrian's Wall Path. The walk will take us from Wallsend and over to Bowness-on-Solway on the other side of England. The trail is about 135km long and follows the remains of the wall as well as possible.

Ornament in the Roman fountain in the Roman bathhouse at Segedenum.

It is quite fitting that the trail starts besides the remains of the old Roman fort of Segedunum, so it is in place to start the journey with a visit there. Little remains of the fort now, but you can see large parts of the structure of the fort on the ground. The museum also contains the only Roman bathhouse in Great Britain, which has been reconstructed after excavations done at Chesters fort that we will pass later on at the trail. The observation tower of the museum provides a great overview over the remains of the fort and the surrounding area. It's little that reminds you of Roman times here now. Just outside of the fort do we find the first parts of the wall that we can see, and the last for a while, these are the only parts of the wall that you get to see before Heddon-on-the-Wall.

Remains of Hadrian's Wall at Segedunum. This is the only visible part of the wall before Heddon-on-the-Wall.

Segedunum. Overview over the old Roman fort from the observatory tower in the museum. The trail goes along the fence to the left.

The trail itself starts quite so modest next to Segedunum; it's only a small sign that indicates that you are at the beginning of a longer walk that will take you over to the other side of northern England. The first that strikes me is that it feels good to start off at another walk. In the start the trail has a little rural touch to it, even though it goes next to what is essentially a suburb to Newcastle. Since the remains of the wall lies well buried beneath the buildings of Newcastle and the surrounding area we are being led down to the shores of the river Tyne. The trail then follows the river for the most part in to Newcastle upon Tyne.

At the start of Hadrian's Wall Path. From here the trail goes past Newcastle and to the next stop, Heddon-on-the-Wall.

After going through a little boring part through the suburbs of Newcastle we came down to the river Tyne, which made the walk a lot nicer. A lot of fishermen were out along the riverside trying their luck.

To get to the start of the walk I flew to Newcastle, now we arrive at the city along the river. After about two hours of walking are we back where we started before going out to the end of the wall. The sun shines over the bridges. There's a market under the bridges, since its Sunday, and there are a lot of people out. We find us a place in a restaurant near the river and order us some lunch.

We arrive at Newcastle upon Tyne with its familiar bridges. To the right is the Baltic, an old mill now being used as a museum for contemporary art; behind is The Sage Gateshead, a center for music education, performances and conferences.

It gets a lot quieter when we leave Newcastle along the river with the Millennium Bridge and the Tyne Bridge left behind us. We're looking forward to getting out the city and walk in more rural surroundings. We pass through Elswick, the location of the former Armstrong Works, which must have led to more thirsty surroundings. In the middle of the 19th century there apparently were no less than 44 pubs here. Unfortunately it's been dried out here and you don't get less dry in the mouth by walking next to a motorway. Fortunately the path leaves the motorway and takes us through a park at Denton Dene.

With the knowledge of having walked through an area that contained a sea of pubs without seeing a single one it feels good to arrive at The Boathouse. Here we stop for a drink and to enjoy the great weather, with the river Tyne back alongside us again. Markers on the side of the pub indicates how high the water went when there was big floods here, in 1771 the water almost went higher than the door.

Alessandra in front of The Boathouse, one of several pubs and inns that we passed on the journey.

We're nearing the end of today's walk, Heddon-on-the-Wall, with the last part going alongside the river. We're finally walking in the countryside with the city left behind, on the other side of the river the church spire of Ryton church juts up from the trees. There is a small ascent up the hill towards the little place on the wall. We arrive at the place where we will stay for the night, Hadrian Way Bed & Breakfast, and is being met with a hearty welcome.

Follow the yellow arrows; they got yellow arrows here as well, which is nice for a Camino walker. But it isn't the yellow arrows we will have to look for on this walk, here it is the white acorn that counts.

Since Segedunum didn't open before 11 o'clock in the morning, being Sunday today, we didn't get off on an early start. We weren't on our way before the clock had turned half past one. That meant we arrived at Heddon-on-the-Wall relatively late. So after being received with tea and talked for quite a while with the very nice hostess of the guesthouse it soon dawns upon us that we've got not much time left to get something to eat for the evening (they closes the food serving quite early here). A quick shower and we're being driven up to The Swan. We arrive at the inn five minutes before they close the food serving. Outside the inn two people are camping for the nigh. The food tastes good after a long walk on the first day, on the menu was a trio of mini pies with sea salted caramel and whiskey ice cream for dessert. We finish the day with a short walk in the evening back to the guesthouse, in the horizon lights from the suburbs outside Newcastle glows in the dark.

The walks goes through the countryside at the last part of today's stage, we're getting closer to Heddon-on-the-Wall. Still by the side of the river Tyne. On the other side of the river the church spire of Ryton church can be seen above the trees.

On a historic note it is only the start of today's walk that is of any interest, it's only at Segedunum that parts of the wall is visible. The first stage of the Hadrian's Wall Path will for the most part be remembered as a nice promenade alongside the Tyne. It is a not to hard start on the trail where you mainly goes through rural surroundings, with some exceptions like Newcastle and the boring part alongside the A6085 motorway. A nice first day, but where the really exciting parts lie ahead of us on the trail.

On the way back to the guesthouse after having eaten dinner at The Swan in Heddon-on-the-Wall.

Wall ->

GR20 @ 12:00

GR20 @ 12:00 from Tarjei Skrede on Vimeo.

Each day at 12:00 while walking the GR20 I took a picture of myself.
This is the result.