HW3
Hadrians Wall - Day 3
TUESDAY 19TH JULY 2016:
The weather forecast gives today as a scorcher, record temperatures of over 30 degrees. Yikes. View out of the bedroom window is fantastic, all green and blue, very enticing. But first breakfast. All home cooked/made…yummy porridge, then pancakes and elderflower syrup, washed down with fruit smoothie and tea. Outstanding. There is a group of 4 at the table who are touring by car, not too keen on all the walking, then we are joined by a Scottish couple. They are doing the walk in the same direction/time frame as me and we bump into each other over the next few days.
I am soon on my way, suitably kitted out with my bush hat, sun glasses and factor 50 sun cream. It is about 9.00am and warm, just that feeling of a glorious day as I walk up the path to re-join the HWP. Just as I make the trail I came across “New York”. He has the biggest back pack I have ever seen, with stuff hanging off it and everything. He has a breather and we chat. He is hoping to walk 15 miles but he already looks pooped!. He says he is recovering from cancer surgery and is trying to build up his stamina for the next round of treatment. Wow. I can think of easier ways – losing the backpack for one – but admire his PMA. I like it when he drawls “where’s the wall?” (imagine in New York accent). Classic Yank. I wish him well and move on.
As it happens “New York” wouldn’t need to wait much longer as soon after this something momentous….I come across a chunk of wall!. This is Hare Hill, apparently one of the highest surviving structures, although not truly original as rebuilt in Victorian times. I have a good wander around and then continue on, now feeling I am truly doing the Hadrians Wall Path. Soon after I come across a reasonably long stretch of wall and a turret (52a - Banks East Turret). These are ruins so maybe 2 to 3 foot high at most but still. These turrets were placed all along the wall, generally 2 each between each mile castle, so if you like these were every third of a mile or so. Clearly not all remain but there are signs of a good number so this became a reasonably common site over the next couple of days.
I continue my journey, through fields and paths, enjoying some good views and passing by more bits of wall or turrets. Just after 11:00 I reach Birdoswald Roman Fort, one of the few major forts that were located along the wall. It is now an English Heritage site so I pay my admission fee and mooch around the museum and exhibition, then outside to view the excavated remains of the site. I top up on provisions, get my next HWP passport stamp and after a brief rest in the shade move on. On leaving the fort I pass a long section of wall, I believe the longest existing. Impressive.
I wander on and for the next couple of hours. From seeing no wall for the first couple of days, I now come across it all the time, in significant chunks, including remains of turrets and mile castles. You begin to realise what a massive task it was to build this thing…millions of individual stones, quarried, transported and placed in position. No half measures either, with all the ancillary fortifications. Quite incredible really.
I pass from the county of Cumbria into Northumberland around the village of Gilsland and then cross a live railway (which is a novelty). I know it is live as a train thunders through just after I cross!. Soon after I come across the ruins of Thirwall Castle and scramble up a very steep slope for a look around and then carefully back down. Despite the heat the energy levels are still good!
Good job I am still feeling good as from here the trail starts to go through “up and down” country with hills and crags. But just before I that I have another stopover at an English Heritage site, this time the Roman Army Museum. It is very slightly off the trail and I am not sure is visited by all, but it is well worth the time. It has good museum exhibits and a 3D film about the wall, including birds eye views and graphical recreations of how it looked in its day. Very enjoyable. The other plus is that it is indoors and air conditioned, so a chance for the body temperature to stabilise.
After a top up on food and fluid I am invigorated and set out to tackle the crags. It is hard for words to describe the next couple of hours, even for photos to do justice, but they are a walkers dream. The hills and crags rollercoaster along, often with wall remnants flowing with them providing some fantastic images. Wider scenic views from the higher crags give panoramic setting. Occasionally I just stand still and do a 360 to take it all in. The sun may make the day a strenuous one for walking but the blue skies and few blobs of white cloud give this a picture postcard look.
As I am walking along by a wall I see a sheep’s head poking out. Strange I think!. As I get close I can see there is a hole through the wall and the sheep is standing in this, with only it’s head to be seen. A sheep with brains obviously as it was doing this to get some shade from the sun
At 6:00pm I reach the ordinance survey pillar at the top of Winshields Crag, at 345 metres (1132 feet) the highest point on the trail. My sister texts to see how I am getting on, asks how far I have to go. Not sure I say! I know the guesthouse is around here at a place called Once Brewed but my guidance notes seem a bit vague (I think written for those walking from the East). From my vantage point I can see Military Road which runs parallel to the wall route. A building there looks like a pub so I am guessing that’s where I need to be and head down in that direction. Sure enough that building is the Twice Brewed Inn (where I will eat) and along the road is my B&B. Initially I walk right past it without seeing it…I blame the fact that my brain was fried by this point! I finally reach Vallum Lodge nearing 7:00pm to a very warm and friendly welcome. A quick shower and change and then back to Twice Brewed for food. The place has a good reputation and indeed doesn’t disappoint. I have chicken stuffed with haggis! I knew haggis was something to do with sheep stomachs so wasn’t sure but went for it and it was delicious…just don’t think too much about what it is! To finish I had sticky toffee pud, yum. Pub was busy with people but I was alone and one of those moments you felt the need for company, nice if family had been there.
Back to base and final collapse into bed. Quite an exhausting day. I feel I dealt with the heat well, in some ways finding it easier than the humidity of the previous day but it was definitely challenging. Endomondo reported 20 miles walked
REFLECTIONS ON THE DAY: Just awesome!
