Monday:Walk 2 - Hadrians Wall at Walltown (8 Miles) 4 hours
(Pathfinder Guide: Northumberland Walk#18)
Weather: Cloudy with some sunny spells
The journey from Rothbury to Walltown Quarry car park was about an hour.
Some interestingly named hamlets along the way; "Once Brewed" and "Twice Brewed"!
Large car park with gift shop and more important facilities - £3 all day to park.
We headed off at 11:15 to the back of the car park where a very defined path (tourist path!) led us to a fairly steep bank up onto Hadrians Wall itself.
There we followed the wall for about 2 miles with plenty of up and down gradients over rough grassy/rocky terrain. Certainly a reasonable workout for us anyway!
The views were okay, but it was the historical interest of the wall itself that was at the forefront of our minds. There were occasional tourist information descriptions at several turrets which are all numbered on the OS map. (45a, 43b and the like). There was then quite a steep descent crossing a defined path at the bottom (a path that we would take later, crossing over our outward route). This was followed by a steep ascent and stone "steps" in the grassy bank to the wall top again.
The route then levelled and led to a farm which we passed through and onto a very defined track which turned back towards the start parallel to the wall and "The Vallum" or defensive ditch. This roadway is part asphalt, part stoned/gravelly and went on for about 2 miles. Lunch was taken along here and the air had definitely chilled, making the tomato soup very welcome! We moved on quickly to warm up.
We turned north to cross our original path and took a diversion, as the suggested route would take us right past some rather large, angry looking cows with calfs (having experienced certain angry cows in the Lincolnshire wilds, we took the cowards way out and lived to walk another day!)
The diversion was not too far away from our intended route, just a little "off piste" with some off-roading and extra muddy boots in the process.
We rejoined the route, waved to the cows, and pressed on.
Many fields and stiles later we approached a farm with a dog that appeared to be rather loud and excited by our presence. Still we pressed on through the farm, the dog, yapping and circling us many times till it was most probably dizzy, and we exited over yet another stile. Fortunately the dogs bark was worse than its bite.
After about another mile across various undefined tracks across fields (looking for the various yellow trail markers on stiles, and following satmap!), we came to a burn and crossed via stepping stones.
Now we could see yet more cows, and they appeared to be obstructing the actual road up way ahead. Perhaps we were not heading that way?
No, we were!!
We approached carefully, thought about hopping over a stile to avoid, realised we could not go that way, and pressed on through the group of cows (literally). Was okay, a little "movement" and general grumpiness with us, but we made it to the cattle grid and over. We waved them good-day. Susan had heard somewhere that you should try and make yourself look bigger than the bovine bullies so she held her walking poles over her head (and would happily have waved her rucksack over her bonce too if necessary), no idea if this makes any difference but it made her feel better ;)
We thought the hills were finished with, but the final surprise was a hike uphill to the finish and eventually the car park.
Finsihing at 15:15, we took 4 hours. A quick rest and then the drive back to Rothbury.
Quite a good energetic walk, not particularly the views, but seeing and "feeling" the wall and its history. Susan would have enjoyed it far more if not for the cows - one bad experience really does put you off them!
Our Walk Score : 7/10
(Pathfinder Guide: Northumberland Walk#18)
Weather: Cloudy with some sunny spells
The journey from Rothbury to Walltown Quarry car park was about an hour.
Some interestingly named hamlets along the way; "Once Brewed" and "Twice Brewed"!
Large car park with gift shop and more important facilities - £3 all day to park.
We headed off at 11:15 to the back of the car park where a very defined path (tourist path!) led us to a fairly steep bank up onto Hadrians Wall itself.
There we followed the wall for about 2 miles with plenty of up and down gradients over rough grassy/rocky terrain. Certainly a reasonable workout for us anyway!
The views were okay, but it was the historical interest of the wall itself that was at the forefront of our minds. There were occasional tourist information descriptions at several turrets which are all numbered on the OS map. (45a, 43b and the like). There was then quite a steep descent crossing a defined path at the bottom (a path that we would take later, crossing over our outward route). This was followed by a steep ascent and stone "steps" in the grassy bank to the wall top again.
The route then levelled and led to a farm which we passed through and onto a very defined track which turned back towards the start parallel to the wall and "The Vallum" or defensive ditch. This roadway is part asphalt, part stoned/gravelly and went on for about 2 miles. Lunch was taken along here and the air had definitely chilled, making the tomato soup very welcome! We moved on quickly to warm up.
We turned north to cross our original path and took a diversion, as the suggested route would take us right past some rather large, angry looking cows with calfs (having experienced certain angry cows in the Lincolnshire wilds, we took the cowards way out and lived to walk another day!)
The diversion was not too far away from our intended route, just a little "off piste" with some off-roading and extra muddy boots in the process.
We rejoined the route, waved to the cows, and pressed on.
Many fields and stiles later we approached a farm with a dog that appeared to be rather loud and excited by our presence. Still we pressed on through the farm, the dog, yapping and circling us many times till it was most probably dizzy, and we exited over yet another stile. Fortunately the dogs bark was worse than its bite.
After about another mile across various undefined tracks across fields (looking for the various yellow trail markers on stiles, and following satmap!), we came to a burn and crossed via stepping stones.
Now we could see yet more cows, and they appeared to be obstructing the actual road up way ahead. Perhaps we were not heading that way?
No, we were!!
We approached carefully, thought about hopping over a stile to avoid, realised we could not go that way, and pressed on through the group of cows (literally). Was okay, a little "movement" and general grumpiness with us, but we made it to the cattle grid and over. We waved them good-day. Susan had heard somewhere that you should try and make yourself look bigger than the bovine bullies so she held her walking poles over her head (and would happily have waved her rucksack over her bonce too if necessary), no idea if this makes any difference but it made her feel better ;)
We thought the hills were finished with, but the final surprise was a hike uphill to the finish and eventually the car park.
Finsihing at 15:15, we took 4 hours. A quick rest and then the drive back to Rothbury.
Quite a good energetic walk, not particularly the views, but seeing and "feeling" the wall and its history. Susan would have enjoyed it far more if not for the cows - one bad experience really does put you off them!
Our Walk Score : 7/10
No comments:
Post a Comment