Day out – Walking Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail

As a National Trail Volunteer Ranger, I am normally found walking on my section of the Trail. This is a three and a half mile stretch from Port gate (The Errington Arms, Stagshaw roundabout, near Corbridge) to Heavenfield (near Chollerford).

With such a good spell of weather, I decided to travel a little further west and visit some of the iconic sites in the Central Section of the World Heritage site. The first decision of the day was, where to start my walk from?

For the day walker, there are a number of good places to park the car and set off on the Trail. For example:

• Walltown – near to the Roman Army Museum, a good place to park, picnic and join the Trail travelling east or west.

Walltown Quarry

• Cawfields – car park situated beside the quarry, again a good place to picnic and explore the Trail travelling east or west.

Cawfields Quarry

• Steel Rigg – car park is located adjacent to the monument and offers outstanding views of the Wall.

Steel Rigg

I decided to park at Steel Rigg and walk east towards Housteads. With ‘wall to wall sunshine’ other people had obviously had the same idea. The overflow car park was in use, but I managed to get a space in the main parking area.

I readied myself for the walk ahead and made sure that I had my camera. Normally used to take photographs of any problem areas on my stretch of the Trail, today it was to get some views of such an important historical site.

 If you are to follow the route of the Wall from Steel Rigg, walking boots or shoes are an essential piece of your equipment. Parts of the Trail follow the contours of the land and this means some climbs and descents on stone steps. One thing to remember is that you will be walking at a fairly slow pace, due to you following the contours of the land in this section.

 There is an alternative route which can be used; it follows The Roman Military Way. On a clear day you get some stunning views of the magnificent scenery, I was also able to get the following pictures of Milecastle 39 and Sycamore Gap.

Milecastle 39 - 'Castle Nick'

Sycamore Gap

Returning back to the car park at Steel Rigg ended an enjoyable but quite tiring day. For visitors not used to this type of terrain, I think there would be some aching leg muscles the day after!

New Season nearly here for Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail.

The 1^st May is rapidly approaching. On this date, the 2011 National Trail passport season will start. The season runs from the 1^st of May to the end of October each year.

View of Trail at Heavenfield, looking West towards Chollerford.

The award winning Hadrian's Wall Country Bus AD122 Service will also operate between Good Friday 22^nd April and Sunday 30^th October.

Approximately 10000 walkers will complete the Trail this season and they will come from a wide variety of places from around the World and this country. Not only will they get to see such a magnificent monument, they will get to see a wide variety of stunning scenery and countryside.

Walkers, who complete the whole Trail in one season, can get a badge and certificate. To prove that they have walked the whole Trail in one season, they have to collect a stamp in their passport from each of the seven stamping stations spaced out along the route.

Stamping Stations:

• Segedunum Roman Fort (Wallsend)
• Robin Hood Inn, (B6318 Military Road)
• Chesters Roman Fort (Chollerford)
• Housesteads Fort * NEW in 2010 *
• Birdoswald Roman Fort (Gilsland)
• Sands Centre or Tullie House Museum (Carlisle)
• The Banks Promenade or The Kings Arms Inn (Bowness-on-Solway)

Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail is promoted to walkers and visitors as a spring, summer and autumn destination. It is not promoted as a winter destination; as during these months the soil can become waterlogged and the important archaeology under the surface can be damaged.

View of trail looking West, towards Chollerford.

A great deal of maintenance and monitoring of the Trail takes place during the winter months. Work will have been carried out on the gates, stiles, signage, footbridges and eroded and waterlogged areas of the Trail.

Monitoring of the Trail’s condition is carried out by the Volunteer Rangers. They can be identified by their royal blue fleeces and waterproofs, which are customised with the National Trail Acorn and World Heritage Site logo.

As one of these Rangers, I have weather permitting, been out on my section of the Trail during the Winter months picking up litter, replacing signs, cleaning mud from stiles, clearing vegetation etc.  Probably the most important is being the person on the ground, seeing the problem areas on the Trail and with the archaeology. Any problems noted can be raised with the Volunteer Coordinator or Trail Manager at Hadrian’s Wall Heritage Limited.

The work carried out by Hadrian’s Wall Heritage Limited and all of the National Trail Volunteer Rangers along the route, ensures that the Trail is in its best condition to be enjoyed by all of the walkers and visitors to such an important World Heritage Site.

It is important for all users of the Trail to follow the Countryside Code:

1. Be safe, plan ahead and follow any signs.
2. Leave gates and property as you find them.
3. Protect plants and animals and take your litter home.
4. Keep dogs under close control.
5. Consider other people.

I am really looking forward to the new season, as the weather gets warmer there will be more routine maintenance to carry out and more walkers and visitors to welcome on the Trail and answer any questions that they might have. My particular section of the Trail is a stretch of just over three miles, starting at Portgate (Errington Arms, Stagshaw Roundabout) to Heavenfield (near Chollerford).

Looking East towards Portgate.

Walk of Section: 4th April 2011

The new passport season for 2011 is rapidly approaching. It will soon be the first of May and the seven passport stamping stations will be ready for the walkers on Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail.

View of Wall Ditch, looking West.

Walkers need to collect the seven stamps on their passport in the period 1st May to the end of October. Once the walk is completed, this will allow them to get a badge and certificate.

Stamping Stations:

• Segedunum Roman Fort (Wallsend)
• Robin Hood Inn, (B6318 Military Road)
• Chesters Roman Fort (Chollerford)
• Housesteads Fort * NEW in 2010 *
• Birdoswald Roman Fort (Gilsland)
• Sands Centre or Tullie House Museum (Carlisle)
• The Banks Promenade or The Kings Arms Inn (Bowness-on-Solway)

Over the Winter months a great deal of maintenance has been carried out along the Trail, to make sure it will be seen at its best for all of the walkers and visitors. The harsh winter weather we experienced has taken its toll on the trail! The ground was very waterlogged in February, along my section of the Trail.

During my walk today, I was pleased to see that the Trail is in good condition and the problem waterlodgged areas noted, last time, are starting to dry out.

As usual, I had a great deal of litter and bottles to pick up along the path and from out of the Wall Vallum and Ditch. All of the Volunteers spend a great deal of time on their sections, preparing it for the new season.

Trail through Stanley Plantation, looking West.