United Kingdom
Bardon Mill

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    • Day 30

      A wonderful day, the best yet!

      September 28, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

      Today was fabulous! We had anticipated difficult climbs and a long distance, and although this was true, it all worked out amazingly. We started with the first steep climb that Amr and I had looked at, and it was manageable - you needed to take great care on the stone steps, a mistake and you could break your leg, but somehow it was not bad - maybe because we went slowly and carefully - but whatever, it was ok, and the rewards were magnificent views as we walked along the ridge. This continued, as we knew it would, after a level ridge walk down we went again, and up the other side - no zig zag to get up and down. This continued many times. One of the most spectacular downs was to Sycamore Gap which is famous for being the spot where they filmed the Robin Hood movie Prince of Thieves. We all had photos there, and another group of people took all four of us, and we took their group etc. there were quite a lot of walkers out today, and we realised that it is Saturday and people are out for weekend walks. Lots of locals, not just people like us.

      Another feature of today’s walking was MUD....lots of it. This is not a complaint, as we had no rain!! Occasionally there were droplets of most, but I never needed to put on my poncho, and it was beautiful and even sunny sometimes. The mud situation was bad, but then got funny once we had to get through an unavoidable bog and all had to go deeper than our shoes - even Amr in his quite high boots got waterlogged. So for the rest of the day we walked with wet feet and socks squelching along, and it still was good. Our shoes were so muddy that when we arrived here at our accommodation the first thing we did was to get a hose to clean all the mud off before it dried on.

      But it was fantastic with views of this gorgeous countryside, walking amongst the cows and sheep who all mix together in the fields, and today we were well marked with acorns and signs - we are getting expert at spotting the little white dots of the acorn sign in the distance at a stile or gate.

      So after the many ups and downs we finally walked smoothly, that is on the level, along the Wall and finally came to our end point of walking which was the Chesters Roman Fort. It was a marathon 22.3 kms, which doesn’t sound all that far by Camino distances, but this was tough walking. Carole and John were Trojans as we knew this was very arduous for them, and we all made it with gusto.

      We had to telephone when we got to the Fort and were picked up by our host, Dave, who is at present salmon fishing in the North Tyne river, but his wife, daughter and granddaughter are here looking after us and we have just had dinner and are retiring to our rooms. When we first arrived, after we had cleaned the shoes and left them to dry, there was the cleaning of ourselves and particularly our socks which took many rinses to clean! But after dinner, wine and showers we are very content.

      I will put on photos of today, but there is no way photos can capture the perspective of the steepness, or the whole picture. But I will try.
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    • Day 6

      4. Tag Hadrians Walk

      June 4, 2023 in England ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

      Dieser Tag zeigte uns, warum der Hadrians Path so beliebt ist. Es ging über weite Strecken dem (nachgebauten) Wall entlang rauf und runter. Mittags mit der Sonne boten sich hübsche Fotosujets. Gegen 16.00 Uhr Ankunft in der heutigen Unterkunft, wo es das wohlverdiente Bier gab.Read more

    • Day 77–79

      Grey Mare's Tail & Hadrian's Wall

      October 17, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

      We were sad to leave Scotland so decided to do one more hike, taking in one of the country's highest waterfalls. After that, it was time to push on to England and eventually, home. Luckily, we had another interesting stop ahead of us.

      Hadrian's Wall has been on our radar for quite a while. Because we were short on time and good weather, we decided to tackle as much of the wall as we could in one day. After some research we chose the most interesting 25km stretch, hitchhiked to our start point early in the morning and started our journey through history along/on the remnants of the wall. After passing countless sheep and cows, climbing 100 stairs over fences and going up and down endless hills, we finally reached Otto.
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    • Day 5

      Hadrianswall

      July 29, 2023 in England ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

      Vor rund 2000 Jahren dachten die Römer es wäre eine gute Idee, eine fast 120km lange Mauer zu bauen, um das Römische Reich vor den Barbaren zu schützen. Hat dann doch nicht funktioniert, wie so viele Mauern danach in der Geschichte der Menschheit.Read more

    • Day 108

      Rejuvenating Ridley

      September 23, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

      Had a very comfortable rest in a real bed after the many nights in the campervan! Nice and casual start to the day with a light breakfast and discussion for the day's activity options.

      We settled on a walk in the forest near Ridley at the National Trust - Allen Banks and Staward Gorge. At one point we were regretting heading west as we were driving through a number of downpours🌦️. Luckily the rain cleared up as we neared our destination. 🌞

      We pulled into a rock walled parking lot, that used to be the garden of the estate grounds. The rock wall had little built-in fire alcoves for when there used to be greenhouses. DM figured the 5km Plankey Mill loop would be an ideal walk. It was a both up and down hills and both sides of the river. Few people were out and about on the trails. Our canine companion loved the walk too.

      On the way back to Wylam we stopped in Corbridge where we picked up a snack to go from Grant's Bakery. They have a very impressive display case offering artistic baked yummines!

      We returned home to for the start of an afternoon of rugby matches. HM had a game that DM wanted to spectate, followed by the broadcasted rugby world series in the evening. A was busy with travel planning and J helped AM in the garden. After much persistence AM and J were able to remove a wire mesh bin that had been an annoyance for her since moving into this house a couple years ago.

      HM graciously obliged a request to help make Laksa for dinner. The fresh, spicy, and fregrant soup was greatly appreciated by all. Many hours of rugby followed 'till everyone retired for the night. This also included wrestling the internet cable on the TV which was having "reception" issues 😱. Oh, technology 📶📺🤔.
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    • Day 20

      Hadrian's Wall, Northumberland

      May 16, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

      Suzie - Ever since I studied Roman Britain in year 12 History and was introduced to the various tribes and the subsequent 400 year Roman occupation of Britain, I have wanted to go to Hadrian's Wall, dating from AD 122. Today finally the day came for me to see it in person 😀😀😀😀 It was spectacular and I even got to walk on the wall on a public track 😀😀😀

      This was all at Housesteads Roman Fort or Vercovicum to give it's Roman name. It dates from AD 124 and was finished 10 years later. You could pay £10 to go explore the ruins of the fort or you could continue up the hill and go to the wall. I chose the latter.

      We visited the nearby Milecastle 37, which was a Roman mile away from Housesteads. Every Roman mile there was a smaller fort of 25-30 soliders to guard against any marauding barbarians, meaning Scots. Housesteads had 800 auxillary soliders.
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    • Day 2

      Hadrians Wall & Angel of North

      July 10, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

      Hadrian's Wall

      Hadrian's Wall (Latin: Vallum Aelium), also known as the Roman Wall, Picts' Wall, or Vallum Hadriani in Latin, is a former defensive fortification of the Roman province of Britannia, begun in AD 122 in the reign of the Emperor Hadrian. Running from Wallsend on the River Tyne in the east to Bowness-on-Solway in the west of what is now northern England, it was a stone wall with large ditches in front of it and behind it that crossed the whole width of the island. Soldiers were garrisoned along the line of the wall in large forts, smaller milecastles and intervening turrets. In addition to the wall's defensive military role, its gates may have been customs posts.

      Hadrian's Wall

      The location of Hadrian's Wall in what is now northern England, and the later Antonine Wall in what is now the Central Belt of Scotland

      LocationNorthern EnglandCoordinates55°01′27″N 2°17′33″WLength73 miles (117 km)Built122 ADBuilt forHadrianVisitors100,000+ annuallyGoverning bodyHistoric EnglandOwnerVarious private and public ownerships

      Angel of the North

      This article is about the sculpture. For the Finnish film, see Angel of the North (film).

      The Angel of the North is a contemporary sculpture by Antony Gormley, located in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England. Completed in 1998, it is believed to be the largest sculpture of an angel in the world and is viewed by an estimated 33 million people every year due to its proximity to the A1 and A167 roads and the East Coast Main Line.[1][2] The design of the Angel, like many of Gormley's works, is based on Gormley's own body. The COR-TEN weathering steel material gives the sculpture its distinctive rusty, oxidised colour. It stands 20 metres (66 ft) tall with a wingspan of 54 metres (177 ft), larger than that of a Boeing 757 aircraft. The vertical ribs on its body and wings act as an external skeleton which direct oncoming wind to the sculpture's foundations, allowing it to withstand wind speeds of over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h).
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    • Day 3

      Auf diese Steine können Sie bauen! 🤩

      June 21 in England ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

      Trockenmauern in Schottland können die reinsten Kunstwerke sein. Diese jahrhundertealte Tradition drohte fast schon auszusterben, weil immer weniger Meister diese schwierige Kunst beherrschten und weiter gaben.

      Inzwischen ist erfreulicherweise wieder ein rückläufiger Trend zu bemerken, weltweit finden Seminare im Trockenmauerbau statt

      Viele Naturgärten in Deutschland setzen Trockenmauern als Abgrenzung und als Lebensraum für Tiere und Pflanzen ein.
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    • Day 22

      Vindolanda - Vallo di Adriano

      July 5 in England ⋅ 🌬 14 °C

      Partiti da Glasgow di primo mattino con il sole, consapevoli che all’arrivo avremmo trovato tempo nuvoloso e parecchio vento, ci siamo immersi nel traffico caotico di superstrade ed autostrade che ci ha fatto rimpiangere le single track scozzesi immerse nella natura. Oggi abbiamo lasciato la Scozia per rientrare in Inghilterra; prima tappa: Vallo di Adriano e Vindolanda.

      Per quanto riguarda il primo, si tratta di un manufatto romano, noto per la sua grandezza ma prima di tutto per il suo scopo: un muro che tagliava orizzontalmente la Gran Bretagna costruito per “tenere fuori” dall’Impero i barbari scozzesi (Pitti), il popolo che nemmeno i romani erano mai riusciti a domare e sottomettere al loro potere.

      A far costruire “the wall” fu l’Imperatore Adriano nel II secolo d.C: 117 km che correvano da Wallsend alla costa del Solvay Firth, 3 metri di spessore, 5 metri di altezza, un fossato, una porta ed un forte o fortino ogni 1500 metri (per un totale di 97 tra forti e fortini) e due torri di guardia poste tra ogni fortino. Presso ogni forte sorgevano gli accampamenti delle truppe con baracche, un ospedale, un granaio, uno spazio per le esercitazioni. Una costruzione imponente, che oggi è patrimonio dell’Unesco e della quale rimangano molti resti anche se è purtroppo impossibile vedere una parte di muro interamente conservata. Il Vallo di Adriano non è tutto “dritto e pianeggiante”, anzi. Il muro segue l’andamento naturale del terreno, quindi se c’è una collina, il muro ci si arrampica. E qui in questa zona di colline ce n’erano una dietro l’altra. E’ proprio per questo che quella di Steel Rigg è considerata una delle migliori e più scenografiche passeggiate along the wall, perchè si sale e si scende su questi crags, su queste colline (letteralmente dirupi).

      Vindolanda era un villaggio romano, un enorme villaggio romano, uno tra i più importanti lungo il Vallo e la vastità dei resti è incredibile. Le strutture che si vedono oggi risalgono prevalentemente al III secolo (Vindolanda venne abbandonata nel IX secolo) e danno benissimo l’idea dell’intricata struttura del villaggio: un muro di cinta, quattro porte di entrata, la casa del comandante e degli ufficiali, le case dei civili, i negozi, le cucine, le latrine, addirittura le terme.
      Siamo entrati nei resti ed abbiamo passeggiato per le strade di Vindolanda immaginandoci come doveva essere stato il villaggio e come fosse stata la vita dei suoi abitanti, aiutati dalle spiegazioni delle audioguide posizionate tra le rovine in punti strategici. Una squadra di archeologi e volontari lavora costantemente in estate e autunno per portare alla luce nuovi edifici e nuovi resti. Oggetti, gioielli, armi, utensili di vita quotidiana scoperti proprio qui sono conservati nel museo del sito archeologico che abbiamo visitato subito dopo. Tra i reperti più interessanti e preziosi ci sono lo scheletro di un bambino (o bambina) sui 9/11 anni e le writing table, delle vere e proprie cartoline dell’epoca: una serie di sottili tavolette di legno ricoperte di scritte ad inchiostro, conservatesi grazie al terreno particolarmente anossico del sito. Una preziosa testimonianza della vita privata e militare di due millenni fa con tematiche quanto mai attuali, come per esempio la richiesta di un comandante (Masculus) ad un prefetto di fornire più birra ai militari o l’invito da parte di una dama ad un’amica per la sua festa di compleanno. Il museo di Vindolanda è stato una piacevole scoperta: si trova più in basso rispetto agli scavi, in un avvallamento in fondo al quale scorre un ruscello, ed è ospitato in una casetta di sassi deliziosamente british, con un ponte di pietre, un giardino e la ricostruzione di un tempietto romano accanto al  torrente e dei relativi affreschi al suo interno. Il tutto conservato ed organizzato con una cura che molto avrebbe da insegnare anche ad alcuni siti archeologici nostrani…

      Nota di colore: durante la passeggiata abbiamo incontrato una signora molto anziana (con tanto di deambulatore) evidentemente autoctona vestita con gonnellina leggera, golfino leggerissimo e sandali…noi indossevamo felpa di pile e giacca a vento con pantaloni e scarponcini da trekking… Nord vs Sud…

      A fine giro ci siamo concessi una pausa pranzo veloce con i nostri scones preferiti per poi riaffrontare il traffico diretti a York. Lungo la strada siamo riusciti a fermarci in una lavanderia automatica e poi abbiamo trovato posto per la notte e per domani alla Black House Farm: una adorabile area sosta di campagna, dove Snoopy e la Susy hanno apprezzato l’essere immersi nel verde e dove verso sera una fagiana ci è passata camminando a pochi metri…agitando non poco il nostro cacciatore peloso!

      Domani contiamo di raggiungere York con il bus che passa proprio qui vicino.
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    • Day 2

      Chollerford to Once Brewed

      October 1, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

      Today was my last segment on the wall. I have been hiking west to east but decided today to take the bus to Chollerford and hike back which is east to west. The buses run every 2 hours so I was worried that if I hiked to Chollerford that I may have had a long wait. The initial drawback was that I wouldn't be able to start my hike back until 1045 which is late for me. It was 15k back some up and down the sils but I thought I would make it in about 4 hours. What I didn't count on was a 50 kmph constant headwind. It tired me out and slowed me down considerably. It took me 6.5 hours to make it back to Once Brewed and was I ever tired when I got back. There were also some heavy rain showers such that I had to wear my rain pants all day. I also got a little patched out on the bus ride as it seemed longer than I thought it should have been. I asked the driver if we had gone past my stop it was so far. I guess I underestimated how far one can walk in a day. The best part of the hike was walking up and down the Sils again. Not only were the views spectacular but the wall seemed best preserved up on the Sils. It helped one imagine what the wall had looked back in 122AD. At Housesteads, an artist had used scaffolding to create the appearance of a Roman gate and then covered it in quotations. It looked a little out of place but certainly gave one the perspective on the size of the structure. I also walked north of the wall at one point to get the perspective of the Scots who may have wanted to attack the wall. Mr TPHM was a little disgruntled that I wasn't taking him out for photos but I was worried he would blow away. We got a final photo of us on our completion of the segment and he seemed quite happy. Tomorrow we are off to Durham.Read more

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