Lesley & Derek walk Hadrian's Wall Day Day 9

 Day 9 12.97 Miles Newburn Keelman's lodge to Wallsend Yes the end of the wall!

We are on our last day of walking, another bright sunny day walking along the banks of the river Tyne for most of the way, Starting off at Newburn past the Rowing club & the signs of the great flood of 1771 

In the first picture you can read the height markers for the flood depths which don't really mean a lot until you look at picture 2 with Lesley for depth comparison!

And now looking out across the river showing the rivers normal operating height several Meters below the height of the path.

As you can see it must have been so scary back in 1771 with all the land around under water!

Carrying on from here the path parts company from the river for a while past Newcastle united blue star football club before crossing the A1 road. The path now heads back to the river bank & we settle into a good pace before coming into Newcastle City passing the area of the Newcastle ship building industry once a great British industry employing many thousands of men.

Passing under the famous bridges carrying road, rail & pedestrians across the mighty river Tyne.

Coming out of the city heading to Walls end the path is less loved, litter lines the way with graffiti on walls & lamp posts and the paths becoming over grown with brambles.

On the final few meters we divert to look at the last of the roman baths but even this is less loved!

Finally at walls end its a great let down after many miles of some great roman history we are met by an almost non entity of a café gift shop.

Meeting up with our Australian wall friends Sue & Ian, we share a cab back into Newcastle city centre.

Parting company we get dropped off at our hotels & our Hadrian's wall expedition is over.

Lesley & Derek walk Hadrian's Wall Day 8

 Day 8 East wall houses to Newburn 10.92 Miles

After the rain we wake to a bright blue cloud free sky. After a good breakfast we start our walk continuing along the Military road but so much nicer in the warm sun but still with a crispness in the air.

The path goes past a reservoir which is  teaming with geese & ducks  the water shimmering in the sun. Arriving at a small village Heddon-on-the-wall this is where we will see the last bit of substantial standing wall. We meet up again with some of our wall mates a Australian couple Ian & Sue, we all take time out on one of the village benches with our flasks of coffee or tea discussing walking boots, Australian bush paths & various other subjects before heading on down the path again.

Soon we are walking along the banks of the river Tyne leading us to our destination for the day Keelman's lodge but not before we stop off at one of the rowing clubs for a drink & sandwich.

Lesley & Derek walk Hadrian's Wall Day 7

 Day 7 9.03 Miles Chollerford to Robbin hood inn 

The day started overcast but dry, out of the hotel straight on to an uphill section along the side of the road for the for the first mile before turning into a wooded area a well worn path with tree roots like bulging veins sticking up through the ground. over a wall via one of the many different styles of stiles past a section of wall where the width of the wall changed from 10 Roman feet (2.96m) to 6 Roman feet (1.8m) 

Overall not a very interesting day mainly parallel to the military road occasionally crossing over to the other side!

We were passed by some Army type guys who were doing the path in three days! its not a path to do quickly as there is so much history to take in. They stopped at the Errington coffee house & we passed them while they rested. The rain had started so we put on our wet gear. Carrying on along the path finding shelter under some trees we sit on some steps close to the military road & eat our lunch.

A few miles later & close to the Robbin Hood pub our bed for the night we stop at Vallum farm coffee shop, its been a short day walking & are quite early so we have some time to to kill before checking into the pub.

Lesley & Derek walk Hadrian's Wall Day 6

 Day 6 16.94 Miles Bardon Mill to Chollerford past sycamore gap.

The Bowes Hotel, A very comfortable pub, Great food like going back in time friendly atmosphere, a pool table darts etc busy local pub, The pub was further from the wall than other accommodation but worth the extra three miles.

Leaving the pub a gentle walk up through the woods overlooking the Vindolanda site through some fields & back up onto the Hadrian's wall path. A steep start the path undulating until we arrive at the sad site of the fenced off sycamore stump which has some small shoots  growing. Carrying on along the wall we see up ahead of us a group of Roman centurions, are our eyes deceiving us? 2000 + year old men! Ghosts? no they are young lads walking the wall in full roman regalia to raise money for prostrate cancer charity. We walk a few miles with them, this is a busy popular section & easily accessed from carparks & return journeys via train.

Further along the path runs parallel to the Military road a fast road quite dangerous for the walkers who have to cross it several times! Cars racing yes road racing!

Nearing the end of the day we pass the Temple of Mithras There is also a Temple of Mithras under the Gold berg Sachs building in London with free admission.  visit Chesters Roman fort, again English Heritage so a quick visit, Tired feet  are looking forward to the Spa hotel we had booked.

Lesley & Derek walk Hadrian's Wall Day 5

 Day 5. 9.54 Miles. Greenhead to Vindolanda (Bardon Mill)

After an okay night in the hostel we have breakfast in the hotel great Porridge & fruit compote. we head out, The rain has passed a bright sunny day & having visited the roman museum we had bought a joint ticket to Vindolanda a privately owned roman collection with over 5000 roman shoes excavated from the land, its steep & we are out on our own we don't see any other walkers for several hours. The highlight of the morning's walk was rescuing a sheep that had rolled onto it's back & was stuck, Thankyou Mr MW for teaching me the rescue procedure when we were walking the SWCP together.

Lesley & Derek walk Hadrian's Wall Day 4

 Day 4. Walton to Greenhead 11.15 Miles

Today it starts to get hilly, Not that it has been a bowling green to now. Last night at the hostel we met Charlotte & Helen who are also walking West/East & a Welsh couple who were walking East/West so it was literally a passing in the night. 

The Breakfast was a proper walkers breakfast they even filler our thermos flask with lovely fresh coffee!

A cool bright sunny morning starting with a downhill road section soon turning off into a muddy field & uphill catching up with Charlotte & Helen who had large new backpacks & probably too many things with them!

Wall mates today were Charlotte & Helen, Keith & Sue & a lovely girl from Munich I didn't get her name but she was good company.

Birdsowald Roman fort is on the path today so it will be the second outing for our English Heritage cards. We take time to look around the fort, exhibition & Shop.

On our way again through some really wet muddy woods passing a farmer herding a flock of sheep & then again when he is looking for a calf that has run off. Calf reunited we come out of the woods past some beautiful Beech trees & parallel to the Hadrian's wall.

Nearing Green head the clouds let go & we have to put our wet gear on again, we arrive at Greenhead & straight into the pub, warm & dry & get some local knowledge about the roman museum about a mile up the road.

After a nice local beer we follow the road picking up the Pennine way which takes us to the roman museum. 

A birds eye view of the wall flying along giving us an insight of how it would have looked in the distant past. A live dig is taking place & we watch for a while bit no historic finds were uncovered in the short time we watched.

 An afternoon well spent back into greenhead to the hostel, we had booked the hotel but somewhere something got moved (possibly the large Irish group took priority?) anyway we had a bed! well actually a choice of three but the bathroom was down the corridor with water dangerously hot!

Clean we go back to the hotel for our evening meal & while we wait for a table in the restaurant we spot the Aussie lads & have a catch up about our days walk.