Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail - The 2011 season coming an end!

The 2011 walking season on Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail is rapidly coming to an end. The six month season will see approximately 10000 walkers completing the full Trail, coast to coast. As one of the many National Trail Volunteer Rangers, I have been out at least once a month to monitor the Trail and the sensitive archaeology, on my section of Hadrian's Wall.

Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail - Heavenfield.

My section of the Trail covers a distance of three and a quarter miles and begins at the Errington Arms, Stagshaw roundabout and finishes at Heavenfield. On a monitoring visit, I will walk this section in both an easterly and westerly direction. The six and a half miles will take me approximately three to four hours, depending on how much maintenance work needs to be carried out, on that day and on how many walkers I see and talk to.

My first monitoring walk of the new season was in early May and the Trail was found to be in a reasonable condition considering the previous bad winter we had experienced.

Start of season, near to Heavenfield looking west- 10/05/2011.

On a fine day, the north and south views from the Trail are magnificent. Depending on the time and day of the week, I sometimes find I have the path all to myself. The amount of work we have to do depends on the time of year and weather. We have to spend sometime cutting back vegetation, nettles and brambles from beside the path and in and around the gates and stiles.

Near to the site of Milecastle 24, looking west - 06/06/2011.

The good weather in the early part of the season enabled the Trail to withstand the pounding from the large number of walkers. It also gave the grass and other vegetation ideal conditions in which to grow. The Trail needed some attention by the two full time lengthsmen to keep it looking at its best.

Newly mown path in Heavenfield - 01/07/2011.

Trail beside the Vallum, looking west - 01/07/2011.

Wet weather is a major problem in my section of the Trail. Dips and hollows can easily become waterlogged and as part of it passes through the wooded area of Stanley Plantation, the path can become very muddy. The wet weather of July and August was to give us all of the conditions mentioned above.

Stanley Plantation - 11/07/2011.

Wet weather problems on the Trail - 19/08/2011.

With the B6318 Military Road running parallel to my section of the Trail, there is always fast moving traffic near to walkers at various points. A  van recently, left the road, crashed through the dry stone wall and finished up on the path! Police had to divert walkers aound the site of the accident. It was very lucky that there were no walkers at the time of the accident.

Work also had to be carried out on a field drain to stop the path being flooded. At one point water was very deep and it was spread out over a wide area.

Flooded path - 05/09/2011.

As we move into Autumn, the Trail will be start to become quieter again, vegetation growth will be slower, but I  will continue to monitor the Trail throughout the winter months, weather permitting!

View east towards Stanley Plantation - 21/09/2011.

Our work on the trail is varied and interesting, The Volunteer Rangers across the Hadrian's Wall corridor spend a great deal of time keeping the path litter free and ensure it is clear and unobstructed for all of the walkers and visitors to the World Heritage Site. The most important feature of our work is monitoring the sensitive archaeology and reporting any problems. It may be a short season, but the work continues all of the year.