Gadgie Walks: All in all, it's just another walk on the wall.

All in all its just another walk on the wall.

Northumberland May 12th

We have guests and are taking them to Hadrian's Wall on an overcast day. A grand total of eight walkers, biggest team for some time and including the two guests, Anne and Bob from Essex, Margaret's sister and her husband.

The walk starts with breakfast at the Sill, restaurant, visitor centre and hostel behind the Twice Brewed pub on the Military Road, aka B6318. Head west from Newcastle on the A69. There are several places to turn north to the A6318, the last at Bardon Mill. Keep on west to Twice Brewed, the Sill, a fairly new building is behind it and if you want to see a brilliant museum and Roman Fort Vindolanda is close by.

The map for this walk is OS OL43 Hadrian's Wall.

The car park at the Sill works on number plate recognition, payment on leaving. A full day cost £5, reasonable as there are four in each car.

Car park at the Sill

After a bacon sandwich or tea or coffee we set off. Crossing the B6318 we walked up the road towards Steel Rigg but before reaching it, at the first farm on the right we took the footpath across fields to the car park, rejoined the road, over the hill and then turned right on a farm track. (mile 1).

We followed the track, grassed in places across several fields, heading generally east. There were several other walkers out, including half a dozen teenagers doing the Duke of Edinburgh award. They looked very happy.

Crag Lough. The wall runs along the top

And a lime kiln!

After just over four miles of easy walking on grassy tracks we came to the King's Wicket. Appropriate so near to the recent coronation. Nothing to do with cricket, it's a gate in the wall. The banks on the north side made a good picnic site so we called a Herbie.

Herbie time at the King's Wicket. We shared cookies, blackcurrant and apple pies, savoury buns and chocolate cake from Mrs A. A party of Germans asked for directions. As Harry explained the route along the Hadrian Path Brian reminded him "Not to mention the Wall" Good joke.

The ladder crossing received an excellent from Ofstile.

After lunch we crossed to the south side of the wall and joined the Hadrian's Wall Path, a 74 mile long distance walk from Bowness on Solway to Wallsend on Tyne. Turning west we followed the path alongside the ruins of the great wall.

Remains of a turret, two between every ..............

milecastle. The milecastles and turrets are all numbered. This one is number 37 or XXXVII as the Romans didn't call it.

The path follows the side of the wall, passing Housesteads Roman fort. There is a museum near the wall and a visitor centre down the hill. We didn't stop, been there, got the T shirt.

Gate in the north side of Housesteads, or Vircovicium as the Romans called it. Worth a visit but Vindolanda is better.

Close to the fort is the only section of wall people are allowed to walk on:

Dave walks the wall. When built it was about 9 feet high. (3 metres)

The wall path crosses the Pennine Way, another long distance walk at Cuddy's Crag. The path does go up and down, in some places the down bit is steep, in some places stone stair cases have been added to prevent erosion and make life easier.

After a downhill stretch to Hotbank the wall, and path begin the climb to Highshield Crags above Crag Lough.

Crag Lough from below and above. My favourite stretch of wall.

The footpath now follows a bit of a roller coaster as it travels along the top of the Whin Sill. Again some sections have stone steps in them which make the downhill bit easier. At last we reached the tree.

Sycamore gap, made famous in "Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves". In the film Kevin Costner made it fro Dover Beach to the wall in seconds before going on to see Maid Marion in Alnwick.

After admiring the tree some of us continued on the wall, some of us took the lower path avoiding a steep climb and descent as the trail nears Steel Rigg. Back on the road we were soon back at the cars and once changed headed for the Twice Brewed Inn.