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.

Walk of section - 22nd September 2011

Took advantage of the dry and sunny weather of late September to squeeze in another walk of the section. The rain of the last three months still continues to cause problems on the Trail. The dips and hollows are still waterlogged with standing water in places. 

Plastic matting has been laid by our two lengths men on the most muddiest areas of my section. On my walk today I cut back the vegetation around all of the stiles and gates, I also cut back any brambles and nettles encroaching on the path. Molehills are also starting to appear on some grassed areas.

I met 24 walkers on the Trail today, 22 were completing the full Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail, the other two were day walkers out with their dog.

Whilst in the wooded area of Stanley Plantation I found the path blocked by a large branch. Moving it was quite difficult, as it was down in the narrowest section of the Trail. 

The following photographs were taken as I walked the six and a half mile return journey of my section:

Approaching Stanley Plantation walking west.

Beside Military Road Plantation.

Beside the Military Road Crossing looking west.

View of Trail looking west to Heavenfield

One of the problem areas on the Trail.

St. Oswald's Church at Heavenfield.

Walk of section: 5th September 2011

With the end of the season nearly upon us, it was time for another monthly monitoring report of my section. The weather forecast predicted sunshine and showers for this morning. I was lucky to complete the six and a half mile round trip without the need of my waterproofs.

I began my walk at Heavenfield in bright sunshine and reached Port gate at about 10.15 a.m. On the way, I cut back the vegetation around all of the gates and stiles on the Trail, picked up a wide variety of litter, cut back brambles and nettles near to the Trail and replaced one missing Acorn way marker which had been removed from a stile.

On the first leg my walk I met no walkers. it was only on my return leg that I met four people, who were completing the full Trail.

The recent wet weather has not helped the Trail as it was waterlogged, flooded and very muddy in places.

The following photographs were taken as I completed the walk of my section:

Example of one of the problem areas.

Walking East towards Portgate.

Trail looking West.

Trail looking West towards Stanley Plantation.

Flooded section of Trail.

Walking West towards Heavenfield.

Looking East.

Gate into Heavenfield, walking West.

Trail in Heavenfield, walking West.

Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail - 2011 Season

Hadrian's Wall is a remarkable monument to nearly four hundred years of Roman rule in Britain. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. In 2003, Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail was opened and the well trodden path is also a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The walking season begins in May and finishes in October, approximately 10,000 walkers will follow the route across the country.

The route will take the walker through urban landscape and magnificent countryside, and will provide many opportunities to see some wonderful sites.

Sycamore Gap - An iconic image associated with the Trail.

The 2011 season is rapidly coming to a close. Over the year as a National Trail Volunteer Ranger, I have been looking after and monitoring the Trail's condition, on a three and a quarter mile section. The season has seen periods of dry weather and prolonged periods of rain. July and August has been particulary wet this year!

Waterlogged path after heavy rain - mid August.

You are never certain of what you are going to find when out on your section of the Trail! Take this season for example. I have had to report dead sheep, remove stones and rubble from the path after a van crashed through a dry stone wall and report many waterlogged stretches.


The Trail started off as usual in an excellent condition, most off my visits over the season were completed without the need of full waterproofs. This was not to be the case for some of the walkers I have talked to. With the full walk taking more than five days plus, they were bound to get caught in some of the bad weather we have experienced.

Trail beside the Wall Vallum looking West