A year on Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail, May 2012 - Part 5

The first day of May saw the start of the 2012 Walking Season on Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail. It was to be a dry sunny day with a north easterly wind. After the wet weather of the last few weeks it was needed to help dry out the trail, before the walkers get out and about.

Beside the site of Milecastle 24 - 01/05/2012.

 The Trail in Stanley Plantation continues to be very wet, muddy and quite slippery in places. Out on the open grassland it is starting to dry out again, but there are still a great deal of waterlogged places for you to try and negotiate and keep your feet dry.

There is certainly more colour to be seen as you walk - the grass is getting greener and the gorse bushes are in full flower. On my walk today I cut back brambles and nettles, cleaned the stiles from mud and moss, raked flat a few molehills and picked up a small amount of litter.

On my way back into Heavenfield I noticed that an Acorn way maker had been removed, it was a two minute job to replace with one of the spares I carry. Someone must have thought it would be a good souvenir to take home!

The colour of the Trail - 01/05/2012.

It was an enjoyable morning and I met three day walkers and three walkers completing the full Trail. I also had to give three Australian visitors in a car, directions to Housesteads. They were taking the time to visit Hadrian's Wall whilst on their way up to Edinburgh.

Heavenfield in May - 01/05/2012.

My second visit of May was after a day of heavy rain and as I started there was still heavy drizzle. As suspected the ground was muddy and still waterlogged in places. It certainly is not what is needed for the Trail which consists mainly of grassland. The weather forecast for the rest of the month is for more rain and low temperatures for the time of the year.

Waterlogged Wall Ditch - 11/05/2012.

It was very quiet on my section and not the day to remain still for long. Full waterproofs were essential and although there were some areas of vegetation that needed attention, it was too wet! I would sort out them out on my next visit when it hopefully is drier.

Waterlogged Vallum beside Stanley Plantation - 11/05/2012.

For walkers on the Trail, this weather makes walking difficult and uncomfortable, it can take away all enjoyment of the historic site and the wonderful scenery in Northumberland. Looking back at my photographs of the 2011 season, I found the photograph below taken at around the same date. It certainly shows the contrast in the weather and the condition of the Trail.

Early May 2011 Season.

There was little let up on the wet weather and colder temperatures for my third visit. I was wanting to cut back the grass and vegetation around the stiles and gates but decided against it as it was just too wet. My work today was the normal litter picking and replacing some of the signs and way markers.

Trail walking east - 18/05/2012.

My early start was made under dark overcast clouds and I had completed about an hours walk before the rain started and became heavy enough for me to need my waterproofs. The Trail on the areas of grassland is coping well, close to and in Stanley Plantation it continues to be very muddy.

Wall Ditch looking west - 18/05/2012.

The majority of walkers met today were travelling east and whilst replacing a way marker near to the Military Road I had to give directions to three Dutch Visitors in a car who wished to see some of Hadrian's Wall. I suggested that they made a visit to Housesteads where they could see the Fort and standing sections of the Wall.

Close to St. Oswald's Tea Room - 18/05/2012.

For my final visit of May, I decided to try and make an earlier start because of the brilliant sunshine and high temperatures we have been enjoying. It was about 7.30 a.m. when I reached Heavenfield and started the walk in the sun under a bright blue sky.

Heavenfield was covered in a wide range of wild flowers including Buttercups, Clover, Daisies and Dandelions. It was such a colourful sight that I had to take a picture.

Wild flowers in Heavenfield - 28/05/2012.

With the recent rain and this spell of fine weather the grass and vegetation has grown considerably around the gates and stiles on the trail. As I did not get it done on my last visit, it was a job that needed to be done before it got too long. As well as cutting the vegetation, I cleaned the mud from the steps of the stiles.

This slowed me down and it was after 12 oclock when I reached the Errington Arms car park. Over the time I was walking east, I met 12 full trail walkers which included two Dutch and two American walkers. On the way I came across the site of the last accident, it was good to see the wall had been rebuilt.

Wall rebuilt at accident site - 28/05/2012.

The return leg back to Heavenfield took just over an hour and I met only one other walker. Normally on the six and a half mile round trip I pick up about two bags of litter. This is the first time I have hardly picked up any. The trail is looking in good condition and the colours today were magnificent to see. The year marches on and I hope we get a long spell of dry weather to keep my section free from the mud we have experienced in April and early May.

Heavenfield looking north - 28/05/2012.

A year on Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail - April 2012, Part 4

The first week in April began with a wide variety of weather: rain, wind, sleet, snow, ice and sunshine. It was a bright frosty morning when I undertook my first walk of the new month. There was still a great deal of snow in places on the Trail and in the Wall Vallum and Ditch. Over the course of the morning, the sun continued to shine against a brilliant blue sky.

Sun, gorse and snow - 05/04/2012.

By mid morning after a brisk walk and carrying out some routine tasks, it was getting quite warm again. Walking west, I was making good progress until I came to the path in Stanley Plantation.

The path was blocked in a few places with fallen branches. The wind and weight of the recent snow fall was obviously the cause. I managed to move the heavy branches and cleared the debris away to the side of the path. Further along the path a tree branch had fallen and jammed itself against a tree on the opposite side, forming an arch. I could not move it, so it was reported to Hadrian's Wall Heritage Limited for them to arrange the lengthsmen to come out and cut it down with a chainsaw.

The path in Stanley Plantation - 05/04/2012.

I reached The Errington Arms car park after about one and a half hours walking and picking litter etc. I met no other walkers on the easterly leg of the trip and I set off back to Heavenfield.

On the westerly leg, I cleared some brambles and vegetation that was starting to encroach onto the path. At times it was very quiet and all you could hear was the calls of various birds: pheasants, curlews and crows.

I had just crossed the Military Road at Errington Hill Head, when I met the first two walkers of the day. They were walking east and they would finish their days walking at Heddon on the Wall.

The sun was still shining brightly as I finished my walk, it had taken just under three hours to complete the six and a half mile round trip. The Trail continues to be in good condition as we move coser to the start of the 2012 walking season in May.

Snow in the Wall ditch, looking west - 05/04/2012.

The 2012 walking season is just around the corner and I continue to get out on the Tail weekly to ensure that all is well for the walkers and visitors to the iconic and historic monument. April showers is the best way to describe the weather! The Trail continues to get a small amount of walkers, it will soon get quite a pounding by hundreds of feet.

As well as walking on my section, I try to get out and visit other sites of interest in the Hadrian's Wall Corridor. Walkers and Visitors alike have some great places to visit and take in the wonderful scenery. The following photographs were taken on some of my visits.

Cawfields.

Milecastle 39 - Castle Nick.

Sycamore Gap.

April started with snow and it was to end with the typical April showers! The dry warm weather in March dried the Trail and stopped the normal muddy areas from forming. The rain of the last weeks have created waterlogged areas and mud that makes walking quite difficult. Walkers are now starting to get out onto the Trail in large numbers and this weather shows the pounding that it gets over the walking season.

Gate into Heavenfield - 23/04/2012.

During this walk of my section I met four walkers who were completing the full Trail. The first two I met had started on the Sunday of the London Marathon. They said they had also completed twenty six miles and were feeling the effects of this, on their second day of walking.

Trail looking east - 23/04/2012.

 There was the evidence of the heavy rainfall in many places along my section. In places the Wall ditch and Vallum were waterlogged. There are places that get full of water and remain so throughout the year but there were places that I have never seen been so before. As usual my main task for today was picking up litter, I also cut back the grass and vegetation growing at the base of the gates and stiles.

Flooded Vallum - 23/04/2012.

The new walking season will begin on the 1st May. The Trail on my section will be very wet and muddy in places. I am hoping for some drier weather and sunshine to get the Trail back into a reasonable condition for the walkers. Over the last four months it has been very quiet on the Trail, this will start to change as the new passport season starts.

The AD 122 bus service is in operation again and the walkers and visitors will come to the area. It will be another busy season for all of those people involved with Hadrian's Wall Country.

A year on Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail - March 2012, Part 3

Another month of 2012 has passed and we move ever closer to another walking season on the popular Trail. The weather continues to be warm and the frosts of February seem to be a distant memory. We need to remember that it is only early March, as I get out on my section once again for my weekly walk.

Looking west towards Heavenfield - 02/03/2012.

As always you never know what the weather will turn out actually to be and looking at the sky I thought I would get away without putting on waterproof over trousers. It was not to be, as after about ten minutes of walking, a fine drizzle of rain started and full waterproofs were needed. The rain soon passed over to the south and for the rest of the morning, the sky was bright with some sunny intervals.

The ground was quite dry for this time of year, although the usual places were muddy, it was easy walking. On the way east, I noticed some wind blown litter on the south slope of the Wall ditch, the ditch continues to be waterlogged in places for most of the year. I left the litter to collect on my return journey, after thinking how to keep my feet dry whilst getting to the litter.

Passing the site of Milecastle 24, I came across the site of an accident that happened in the last week of February. The stones from the roadside wall were strewn over a wide area. The Military Road claiming another one to add to its statistics.

Accident site beside the Military Road - 02/03/2012.

I made very good progress and reached The Errington Arms just before 10.00 am. Just before doing so I met four walkers doing the full trail. They were planning to try and reach Housesteads before going to their camp site. They soon disappeared and I continued with litter picking and checking stiles and gates, as I returned back to Heavenfield.

As I passed St. Oswald's Tea Room, the four walkers I had met earlier were sitting outside having a well deserved drink. Having just opened for this year, the Tea Room will see a great deal of the Trail walkers, locals and visitors to the area.

The Trail close to St. Oswald's Tea Room - 02/03/2012.

My second walk of the section began early and I was unsure whether I would be able to get onto the Military Road because of the road resurfacing work that had started earlier in the week. The cones and barriers at the Stagshaw roundabout had been removed so a diversion was not needed!

Beside the Military Road looking east - 09/03/2012.

The path had dried out in places since my walk of last week and it was a warm but overcast day. By mid morning dark clouds were forming in the north and west. A  westerly wind blew in and this would mean walking directly into it on my return journey from The Errington Arms.

View of Vallum approaching Stanley Planation - 09/03/2012.

No other walkers were out on the section today as I completed the six and a half mile walk in just under three hours. Again, I had to get into the Wall ditch and onto the slopes to get to bottles and aluminium cans. I am never surprised at what is left or dumped - today I had to retrieve a four foot long piece of plastic curtain track out of the vegetation beside St. Oswald's Hill Head Farm.

The Trail although still waterlogged in places, is in good condition for the time of year. If the warmer weather continues, there will be the need to get going on cutting back vegetation and brambles to keep the path clear.

Walking west in Stanley Plantation - 09/03/2012.

A bright crisp morning saw me start my third walk of my section in March. It turned out to be the quickest walk of the six and a half miles in 2012. I completed the round trip from Heavenfield to The Errington Arms in under three hours. The main reason for this was less mole activity and the Wall ditch being free from litter.

View of Trail looking west towards Heavenfield - 19/03/2012.

There was no need for waterproofs today and the Trail was relatively dry - less muddy clothes and no need to scrape the mud off my walking boots. The recent spell of warm weather is making the vegetation start to grow quicker and patches of colour are starting to appear. In particular the gorse bushes are coming into flower.

Gorse bushes beside the Wall ditch - 19/03/2012.

My tasks for the day ended up as: cutting back the brambles in Stanley Plantation, brushing mud off the stile steps and picking up a small amount off litter mainly in the wooded area of Stanley Plantation. During my walk I met three people, one walking their dogs and two walkers completing the whole Trail. The two walkers were walking east and they were into the last quarter of their expedition.

The year marches on, the Trail continues to be in good condition and the new season will nearly be upon us. The AD122 Bus Service will be starting in April and the popular sites along the National Trail will be gearing up for the influx of walkers and visitors.

Stile on the Trail near to The Errington Arms - 19/03/2012.

 My tasks for the day ended up as: cutting back the brambles in Stanley Plantation, brushing mud off the stile steps and picking up a small amount off litter mainly in the wooded area of Stanley Plantation. During my walk I met three people, one walking their dogs and two walkers completing the whole Trail. The two walkers were walking east and they were into the last quarter of their expedition.

The year marches on, the Trail continues to be in good condition and the new season will nearly be upon us. The AD122 Bus Service will be starting in April and the popular sites along the National Trail will be gearing up for the influx of walkers and visitors.


The sunny and warm weather continued to the end of the month and my last walk of the section in March began with a dark sky at Heavenfield. It was not to last long and the sun came through and dried the early morning dew from the Trail. The 2012 walking season is nearly on us and for the first months of the year, I have been the only walker on my section. Today I met six walkers and saw many more as I returned home in my car.

Gate on the Trail near to St. Oswald's Hill Head Farm - 30/03/2012.

The lack of rain  over the last month has allowed the Trail to dry out and it is looking in good condition and ready for the first of May. The mole activity has almost stopped but litter in the Wall ditch continues to be a major task to clear when out walking. In Stanley Plantation, work has been carried out on the path by Hadrian's Wall Heritage Limited. Wood chippings has been spread out at various points.

Work on path in Stanley Plantation - 30/03/2012.

Nearing Portgate, I walked through a field with sheep and their lambs, it is the first sighting for me this year and I managed to get close enough to get a photograph whilst the ewe and three lambs were grazing.  With the weather forecast being for temperatures at least ten degrees cooler for the start of April, I am looking forward to taking many more pictures whilst on my weekly visits to the Trail. 

New lambs near to Portgate - 30/03/2012

NEWS: The Hadrian's Wall Country Bus service AD122 - which allows local people and visitors alike to get out and about in Hadrian's Wall Country - begins again on Good Friday 6th April and runs through to Sunday 28th October.

The timetable can be downloaded using this link: http://www.hadrians-wall.org/page.aspx/Interactive-Map/Hadrian%27s-Wall-Country-Bus

A year on Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail - February 2012, Part 2

January finished without us having any major snowfalls. February began with the forecast of snow and low temperatures at the end of the week. On my first visit to my section the frost had again made walking easier and less muddy.

View looking west towards Errington Hill Head - 02/02/2012.

The first leg of my walk east started at about 8.20 a.m. and with the temperature being about minus two degrees centigrade, the ground was white with frost in places. I made quicker progress along the trail than I had done on previous visits! The molehills were frozen and I was able to get down into the bottom of the Wall ditch to reach the litter, without getting my feet wet and muddy.

View of Trail looking west towards the site of Milecastle 24 - 02/02/2012.

I reached The Errington Arms car park at about 10.20 a.m. and after a quick clean up around the stile set off to return back to Heavenfield. The sun began to shine and the areas out of the shade lost the frost. On the east leg I had the trail to myself and I only saw one other walker as I returned into Heavenfield.

Normally the only litter collected contains McDonald's packaging and plastic bottles, today as well as this, I had to pick up glass bottles, polystyrene, paper, fertiliser bags and a Christmas card. The majority of this came from out of the Wall ditch, I have been unable to reach these on previous walks, as it was in areas where the ground is waterlogged and very muddy. The cold weather has some advantages for the Volunteer Rangers on Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail!

Sunshine and blue sky on the Trail - 02/02/2012.

The second week of February saw the rest of the country covered in snow, we have been very lucky, but the temperatures remained icy. Thursday of this week saw freezing rain and treacherous road conditions around the area. A  van skidded off the road near Chesters, due to the ice.

The weather at home was dry and cold, on reaching Heavenfield, later than I normally do, it was minus one degrees Centigrade and the easterly wind made it feel a great deal colder. The ground was frozen solid and dips in the trail that are normally full of water in winter were iced over.

This type of weather does have its advantages - no muddy boots to clean! It also makes walking a great deal easier and I tend not to stop for long, except to admire the views to the North and South.

Vallum beside the site of Milecastle 24 - 10/02/2012.

It was to be a normal walk on my section, jobs carried out today included litter picking, flattening molehills, repairing a broken fence rail and freeing a gate latch that had frozen.

I carry most things when on the trail, I did not really expect to need a can of de-icer!

It remained dry for the duration of my six and a half mile round trip and I filled two refuse bags with the litter collected. At this time of the year it is easy to spot the wind blown litter that collects in the gorse on the side and bottom of the Wall ditch.

Trail and Wall ditch looking East - 10/02/2012.

I was the only one out today on the Portgate to Heavenfield section of Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail. My final photograph was one taken in the Church yard at Heavenfield. After loading up my gear and the litter collected, I set off home with the temperature still at minus one degrees Centigrade.

Snowdrops at St. Oswald's Church - 10/02/2012.

The colder temperatures and frost left us for the third week in February and a good weather forecast was just the incentive I needed to carry out another walk of my section.

Heavenfield was not very muddy as I set off to Portgate. Further along the Trail the ground started to get very muddy and it was again waterlogged in the dips churned up by the livestock. Even in a week, there was still a small amount of litter to pick up and mole hills to flatten.

View of Vallum near to  Stanley Plantation - 14/02/2012.

A north westerly wind got up mid morning and it remained dry for the whole of my walk. Reaching Portgate at about 10.20 a.m. I did a quick about turn and walked into the biting wind. When there was no noise from the Military Road traffic you could here the pheasants calling in Stanley Plantation and when out onto the open grassland I heard the call of a Curlew.

Sheep in the field at Portgate- 14/02/1012.

In Stanley Plantation, the brambles were starting to encroach onto the narrow path, I quickly cut these back and met two walkers and their dog trying to negotiate the very muddy path. These were the only walkers out today, when I was out. The six and a half mile round trip took me less than three hours, mainly due to there being less molehills to flatten. I am hoping that their activity will start to get less, as we approach the end of this month.

Gorse bushes in the Vallum - 14/02/2012.

My final visit in February was after the spell of unseasonably warm weather. On one of my recent visits to Wallington, the temperature was thirteen degrees Centigrade! The early morning start was prompted by the forecast of rain spreading from the west, later in the day.

Near to the site of Milecastle 24 - 27/02/2012.

The trail was in reasonable condition and my tasks for the morning consisted of the usual litter picking, flattening molehills, cutting back some brambles and brushing mud off the steps of the wooden stiles.

Tree returning to the earth in Stanley Plantation -27/02/2012.

Coming up to March, the Trail on this section has not been badly affected by large amounts of rain or severe winter weather. As spring approaches, the path will start to get greener and it should be in good condition for the start of the season in May.

View of Trail looking east - 27/02/2012.

A year on Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail - January 2012, Part 1

My first walk of the section in the first week of January, was on a morning following a night of strong winds and heavy rain. It was dry on my arrival at Heavenfield layby but there was still some strong gusts of wind, as I prepared for my walk on the section.

The field at Heavenfield was full of sheep and they all moved closer to the gate, probably thinking I was the owner with some feed! They quickly moved away to the corner of the field as I started to walk east.

Hadrian's Wall National Trail Way markers - 05/01/2012

The moles had been busy in Heavenfield and it took me sometime to remove the earth mounds and pick up the litter that had been blown into the fence and wall bottom. Today it took me about two hours to walk half a mile, my progress was delayed by the work of the moles on the trail. 

St. Oswald's Church, Heavenfield - 05/01/2012.

The wind started to get up again by mid morning and by the time I reached the half way point it was very strong and coming from a north westerly direction. This pushed me along as it was in my back as I walked east but on the return journey I struggled to walk against some of the stronger gusts.

At this time of year the trail is very wet and muddy. You never know who you might meet on the trail, but I was the only person out today. The strong winds made it very difficult to walk and although I picked up the litter, I am sure there will be more for my next visit to the section.

Victim of the strong winds - 05/01/2012.

My second visit of January began with some early rain, this soon stopped and the strong north westerly wind started again. The moles had been busy again and the wind had blown litter and plastic bottles into the wall ditch. I made quicker progress along the trail than my first visit.  The mole activity tends to stop at the half way point beside the Military Road crossing at Errington Hill Head. Before reaching Stanley Plantation the trail was blocked by a fallen tree. I reported this and the two lengthsmen will be coming out to remove it.

Fallen tree blocking trail - 09/01/2012.

After climbing over the fallen tree, I made good progress through Stanley Plantation, the wind had brought down small branches, but the trail was relatively clear. After a period of rain the trail gets very muddy here, I was surprised at its dry condition for this time of year. On reaching The Errington Arms, I turned for the return journey, a low level jet screamed overhead and quickly vanished to the south!

My return journey is normally a casual walk back to Heavenfield, today I had to get into the wall ditch at various points to collect some more litter.The strong wind again made walking west hard. The rain had passed over and there was blue sky and sunshine.

View of the trail walking west - 09/01/2012.

Beside the site of Milecastle 24, looking west - 09/01/2012.

My third visit was during the period of hard frosts we experienced in the middle of the month. The one good thing about the cold weather, was to harden up the muddy areas along the trail and make the walking easier. The moles had been busy! After so many hard frosts, I managed to completely lift some of the mounds of earth. Some were frozen solid and I had to leave them for when the weather warms up.

Frost on the trail, beside the Vallum - 17/01/2012.

The fallen tree discovered on my second walk had been removed and the trail was back to normal. At this time of year it is unusal to see a large amount of footprints in the frost, there must have been quite a few people out over the last week as you could see where they had been walking. Another piece of evidence to support this was the large amount of plastic bottles on and beside the trail.

On the trail looking east, towards Errington Hill Head - 17/01/2012.

During my walk there continued to be a stream of low flying RAF jets at low level heading north to the ranges at Otterburn and heading south after their sorties. Even if I kept my camera at the ready, I doubt I would be fast enough to get a picture.

At the B6318 Military Road Crossing - 17/01/2012.

The temperature was low and it was a day when I kept moving. On reaching Port gate at The Errington Arms I quickly turned around and briskly walked back to Heavenfield. I had just gone through the gate at Heavenfield when I was to meet a lone walker. This was the first person I have seen, in three visits to the section in January.

I made my last visit at the end of January and although the temperature was low and there had been a sprinkling of snow, the trail was very waterlogged. Again it was a walk interrupted by picking up small amounts of litter and dealing with the molehills.

Waterlogged section of Trail - 27/01/2012.

At various points along the trail there are still patches of gorse bushes in flower. It was again not a day to stop for long and I completed the first leg to The Errington Arms in about two hours.

Gorse bushes in flower beside the Vallum - 27/01/2012.

On my return leg to Heavenfield I decided to leave my gear at my car and go and take some photographs of St. Oswald's church. As I was walking over the field five walkers appeared and made their way to the church as well.

The weather in this month has allowed me to get out once a week and it has been needed to keep on top of the litter and the numerous molehills. Although the trail is waterlogged there are small signs that spring is not far off.

St. Oswald's Church, Heavenfield - 27/01/2012.