Walk of Section: 27th February 2011

With the start of the walking season rapidly approaching, I took the opportunity of some dry weather to complete a round trip on the Portgate to Heavenfield section of the Trail.

Parking up at the Errington Arms car park, I started by picking up litter before passing into the first field of the Trail. I had only been walking for a few minutes when I came upon a dead sheep.
It was lying in the bottom of the waterlogged Vallum ditch.

Dead sheep.



I have reported this to Hadrian's Wall Heritage Limited, who will try and contact the farmer. Because of where it had fallen, I was unable to get its ear tag number which would enable the sheep to be identified to the flock it came from and its actual owner.

The first half of the Trail, although very wet and muddy was free of molehills. Stanley Plantation was also very wet and muddy, even where wood chippings have been spread. In one part of the path, water was running out from underneath the wall and collecting in a large puddle.



Water spreading out onto trail.

 Coming to the B6381 road crossing, I found some areas of erosion and waterlogged areas.



Problem area.



Trail erosion.



After the road crossing the mole hills started  and continued all the way to Heavenfield. The trail became very waterlogged and in some places the bottom of the Vallum is full of water and is spreading out onto the trail.



Water coming out of Vallum on left and spreading onto trail.

Over the whole of my walk, I picked up a small amount of litter, plastic bottles and glass bottles.

I met 8 walkers, 6 were completing the full trail and they were on day four of their walk. Two were day walkers completing a small part of the trail.

The recent wet weather is making the trail very wet and muddy. We will need a period of dry weather before the main season begins in May, to dry out the ground.

Certain areas will have to have a small amount of maintenance to prevent further erosion by the thousands of walkers who will arrive for the new season. We will have to monitor the problem areas and ensure the trail and archaeology are protected.