Hadrian's Wall 2018

Day 1 - March 19, 2018

Following the disappointment of a major blizzard causing the cancellation of the Oldham Way Ultra yesterday, and my subsequent 61 km run along much of the race course that day, I wasn't sure if I was ready or able to hike/run Hadrian's Wall.

Alighting from the 0920 from Greenfield at Huddersfield Station

I woke on Monday morning feeling pretty good and ready to get moving up to Newcastle-on-Tyne to start my next adventure. I was certainly relieved to see that the weather had improved, the wind had dropped and temperature was rising.

The Trains to Newcastle-upon-Tyne
I had in advance bought an open ticket from Greenfield Station to Newcastle-upon-Tyne. This ticket enabled me to travel to Newcastle on any train, by any reasonable route and also break the journey on the way if I wished to do so.  I did this because I didn't want to commit to a specific train after a day of running the Oldham Way Ultra.

Platform 5 at York Station, waiting for the 1053 to Newcastle-upon-Tyne

I was staying with my cousin, Stephanie and her husband Tony in Grotton, Lees, Oldham. On the edge of the Pennines.  Stephanie and Tony were leaving at 9:00am to drive down to Manchester Piccadillly Station where Stephanie was getting a train down to a friend's place in southern England.  I left at the same time and on Oldham Rd got a No. 180 bus going to Greenfield Station.  My plan A was to get the 0920 local train from Greenfield to Huddersfield.  Because that train runs hourly, if I missed it, my Plan B was to get the 0937 train heading in the opposite direction to Stalybridge and then get a Trans-Pennine Express from there that would take me non-stop back through Greenfield to Huddersfield and beyond to York.  Both routes were permitted on my open ticket.

My bus was on time and I was in good time at Greenfield Station. The 0920 was signalled as running 10 minutes late due to "earlier congestion". As I waited on the platform, three trans-pennine express trains passed through the station. Finally my two-coach "Pacer" entered the station. These trains were built in the 1970s out of bus parts. They have bus doors, bus engines, bus seats, bus "buzzer" for the conductor to press to let the driver know it's safe to start and single axle bogies, making them bumpy and noisy and I love them.  The train started and I could feel the engine struggling on the grade to accelerate as we climbed towards five kilometres long Standedge Tunnel (pronounced Stan-age)that takes trains under the Standedge Moors to Yorkshire.

After 20 minutes I arrived in Huddersfield at 0950. The platform indicator showed the next train stopping in York was the late running 0946 scheduled out at 0951. There were a lot of people waiting for this train. The second train to arrive on that platform was also going to York leaving at 0956.  So I stepped back and waited and glad I did. The late running 0946 was already standing room only when it set down and it looked crowded as it pulled out of Huddersfield, The 0956 was busy but I managed to find a seat. And it was a faster train than the 0946, going by a different route, so I arrived in York at 1040, a few minutes before the late running 0946 arrived.

On the train. Crossing the River Tyne as we entered Newcastle-upon-Tyne Station

At York I had one more train to get me to Newcastle-upon-Tyne. There are five trains an hour to Newcastle from York, so I wouldn't have long to wait. The first train out was the Trans-Pennine Express 1048 from Platform 10.  But it was delayed and not leaving until 1103. Checking the departure board I found the Virgin East Coast Mainline 1053 to Edinburgh leaving from Platform 5. Most Edinburgh trains stop in Newcastle, so I took a chance and walked over to Platform 5. Sure enough it was calling at Newcastle on the way to Edinburgh.  I got on this train and found a window seat after walking through a few coaches.

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and Walls End
As we left Darlington, I rang Hadrian's Haul and let them know that I would set down in Newcastle at 11:45.  I had arranged for this company to take my suitcase off me in Newcastle and transport it to Carlisle for me.  The night before I had reorganised so my Ultimate Direction Fast Pack had everything I would need for a few days hiking and everything I didn't was in the suitcase.  They promised somebody would meet me in the short-term carpark at the station. I waited about 30 minutes before he showed up, apologetic about the delay. I handed him my bag and £20. He said he would deliver the bag to the County hotel in Carlisle later that day.

Free of my luggage, I found a small cafe and had lunch. I also bought a bacon sandwich and a can of beer to take with me on the hike.  From there I took the Tyne and Wear Metro out to Walls End Station.

Changing trains at Monument Station.  Boarding the Tyne and Wear Metro "Coast" line to Walls End

Exiting the station, the Walls End visitor centre was across the road.  Right outside on what would have been the bank of the River Tyne 2000 years ago was a section of Hadrian's Wall.  Close by were the remains of a Roman Bath.  Beyond that the walk was actually not very inspiring. Following a disused railway line (now a bike route) the walk was mainly through the industrial waterfront of Tyne, with very little to see and hardly ever get a glimpse of the river.  After 10 km of walking the bike path turned to cross the A186, so I turned off and walked down to the river and entered Newcastle-upon-Tyne city centre along the river.  Here it was quite nice, with a wide promenade along with restaurants and businesses.

Street signs showing the distance to Bowness-on-Solway in miles

Remains of the Roman Baths at Segedunum (Walls End)

Hadrian's Wall - Newcastle-Upon-Tyne to Wylam
About now I was questioning walking to Wylam. My map showed may more miles of industry to walk through, as well as what can only be a uninspiring stretch along the side of the A695.  As I walked I thought about the walk ahead. My legs and feet felt great.  But three hours left of walking meant arriving Wylam at sunset.  I wanted to see Heddon-on-the-wall, which if I didn't do it today meant tomorrow morning. And that meant I'd arrive at the best part of the wall after dark the following day.  Also, I had forgotten to load up water in my pack, so I had a beer and a bacon sandwich for calories and fluids.

The bridges of Newcastle-upon-Tyne from the Hadrian's Wall footpath.

It was 3:30pm.  Feeling like a cheat, I decided to alter my plans and take a train to Wylam, and then hike up to Heddon-on-the-wall tonight before sunset.  I turned off the riverwalk and climbed the hill up to Newcastle-upon-Tyne station. In the station I bought a single ticket to Wylam for £4.50 and got the 3:54 pm train to Wylam (another Pacer :) ) - I ate my bacon sandwich and drank my can of beer on the train.

The 1554 Newcastle to Hexham at Wylam Station viewed from the footbridge

Stepping of the train at 4:16 pm at Wylam Station was like stepping back in time. It was a beautiful stone station, with off-set platforms and a level-crossing and an maroon and cream painted iron footbridge between them.  The level-crossing was closed, waiting for the train to depart, so I used the footbridge to cross the tracks and the walked across a road bridge over the River Tyne and into the village of Wylam.  My accommodation for the night was a room in the Black Bull pub. The room was quite good for £35 - right above the pub under the sloping roof of the 16th Century building. Luckily the plumbing was 21st Century.

The level crossing at Wylam with the 1554 from Newcastle crossing.

I left the pub around 4:40 pm and using Google maps to guide me, followed a route over footpaths up to Heddon-on-the-wall. It took about an hour to walk up the sometimes steep footpaths to the village from Wylam. But it was worth it. Here alongside the B6528 was a well preserved section Hadrian's Wall - the longest preserved section of the 10 Roman foot wide wall. The wall was narrowed to 8 Roman feet further west, likely to speed construction and cut costs. I also looked at the 12th Century St. Andrew's Church located close by and built out of stones from the Roman wall.

Remains of Hadrian's Wall at Heddon-on-the-wall

St. Andrew's Church. Built with stones from Hadrian's Wall in the 12th Century.

I also learned that George Stephanson was born in a cottage not far from Wylam. George was the inventor of the steam railway engine - one of his locomotives "Locomotion No. 1" was on display on the platform at Darlington Station.  I googled his birthplace - if it wasn't too far I would try to go by it on my way back to Wylam.  Turns out it was on what used to be the Wylam Waggonway - a wooden horse-drawn tramway that preceded the railways.  I arrived at the cottage just after sunset and then walked back into Wylam and to the Black Bull pub.  Had a pint and dinner in the pub then called it a night.  In all I had hiked 22 km today. My original plan to walk from Walls End to Wylam would have been 24 km. So I got the distance and had more fun doing it this way and saw more.

The cottage George Stephanson was born in.

Day 2: Hadrian's Wall - Wylam to Haltwhistle
Up at 7:45 am after a good night sleep.  All packed I left the pub via the side door, remembering not to go through the pub and out the front door as I'd set off the alarm if I did that (as the pub was closed at that time in the morning).  Another cheat today. Last night I'd decided I really wanted to see the Wall in daylight and there really was nothing to see until I got to Chollerford.  I decided to take the train to Corbridge and then hike from there to Chollerford and join the Hadrian's Wall route there. That would save me two hours of hiking too.

Walking from the station to Corbridge crossing over Cor Bridge.

Back at Wylam Station in time for the 8:12 am train to Corbridge.  The opposite platform was busy, mostly with school kids getting the train into Newcastle-upon-Tyne.  The station was so rustic there wasn't even a ticket machine or booking office. The train came in on time, again a two-car Pacer, and I easily found a seat.  The conductor came by and I bought a ticket to Corbridge (£5.40) and then sat back and enjoyed the ride along the scenic Tyne Valley.

I alighted at Corbridge and walked across the single-lane ancient stone bridge into the village of Corbridge. It's a beautiful medieval looking village, set on a hill just north of the river.  I found a co-op and bought breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and a can of beer for the end of the hike. I also made sure I had a full two litres of water and a bottle full of tailwind before leaving the pub that morning.

The village of Corbridge

Leaving Corbridge, I hiked up Corchester Lane hoping to see something of the best preserved Roman town in England. I knew the site, run by English Heritage, was closed on weekdays until April, but I was hoping to see over the wall. No such luck. Corstopitum (as the Roman town was named) was in the middle of a field with no access other than the gated and CCTV protected road to the English Heritage carpark.  I was out of luck.  So I looked at pictures on Google, and continued on my hike.

From here, I planned to hike over the hills to join Hadrian's Wall footpath as soon as possible. Google provided me a route on the lanes. Once I'd passed under the A69, I turned up a lane and through Sanhoe, narrow country lanes, through farmyards with inquisitive Border Collies, farm fields and over hills and dales, before arriving finally on the B6318, otherwise known as The Military Road.  I ran some stretches of this hike, especially on the lanes and down hills.

A short way down the B6318 I saw the Hadrian's Wall footpath sign pointing over a stile on the left side of the road. I climbed over and was delighted to see in the middle of the field a section of Hadrian's Wall. I walked by it, once again imagining what it would have been like 2000 years ago and thinking that Roman legions probably marched where I was walking.  I love history and have always been fascinated with the Romans.

Hadrian's Wall just outside of Chollerford

The sun had come out and I was feeling good, so I ran through the fields towards Chollerford.  At the bottom of the hill I crossed the River North Tyne at Chollerford Bridge, and then at the roundabout, went left and continued on the B6318.  Just off to my left was another Roman site, Chesters Roman fort, or to give it it's proper name, Cilernum. Again, managed by English Heritage it wasn't open until the weekend, so I gave it a miss and continued on my hike.

Walking between the defensive ditch and the wall

At Walwick, just up the hill from Chollerford, the footpath resumed through farmfields, paralleling the B6318.  Generally, the road had been built on top of the wall along here so there was nothing to see, except for the ditch.  Hadrian's wall was more than just a wall - it was a typical defensive frontier for the Romans.  Starting on the outer-side, there was a mound then a ditch then a mound. Then the wall, then behind the wall was a mound, a wide ditch called The Vallum, laid out straight between survey points, and then another mound. The first ditch is defensive to stop wheeled vehicles approaching the wall, the Vallum was likely to mark the military zone and prevent cattle and civillians crossing, or it could simply be an unfinished Roman Road, as it was surveyed very similar to how the Roman's designed their roads.  Knowing what to look for in the landscape made the trip more interesting even when I couldn't see any remains of the actual wall.

High on the crags fairly tall sections of wall survived

The footpath finally leaves the B6318 and starts climbing the crags in Northumberland National Park. The wall goes over a long series of steep sided crags, obviously for defensive purposes. Here the Vallum moves away from the wall and stays in the valley. The footpath though is relentless and stays with the wall.  Up here there are long segments of wall still standing, some sections over six feet high.  I also discovered how slippery English mud can be - I slipped at least nine times on these crags. There were some patches of snow, a few of them disguising a deep puddle or mud, which I discovered with surprise after sinking to my knees in wet mud.

Just four and a half miles to Housesteads

I made it to Housesteads Roman Fort by 2 pm.  This part of the wall was under the stewardship of National Trust. So unlike English Heritage they were open weekdays and Housesteads was open to the public until 4pm.  I arrived from the east wall side, passing a well preserved gatehouse through the wall and section of cobbled roman road too. I went to the museum to pay my entry fee of £7.50, then went into Housesteads.  While mostly foundations, the interpretative signs told me what I'm looking at.  Most obvious was the water system and how the Roman's used gravity to feed water from the aquaduct to all of the buildings. And using gravity in a separate system to take waste away from each building.  Also, the elevated stone slabs were visible above the under-floor heading system.  The fort was designed for ten Centuries, each Century is made of of 100 soldiers. So Housesteads could accommodate 1000 Soldiers and was the largest fort on Hadrian's Wall.  There was the main house with it's courtyard and rooms surrounding it, the hospital, also designed around a courtyard, the main building at the centre, from which the fort was governed, the latrines, the bathhouse, the kitchens and then the bunk houses for soldiers.  The Fort was in use from about 124 until the Roman's abandoned Britain in the 3rd Century.  But for those two hundred years or more, there were 10,000 soldiers stationed along Hadrian's Wall.

Housesteads - as it probably looked around 127

Housesteads - as it looks today - this is the main house and you can see the supports for the floor for the under-floor heating

Houseteads - Having lunch on the steps of the main house

I sat on what would have been a step of the main house and ate my sandwich in the sun. The location was sheltered from the cool wind.  I debated walking down to see Vindolanda, a roman auxiliary fort about 1.5 miles away that closed at 4 pm. But the way the footpaths worked, meant to see the wall I'd have to hike back up to Housesteads and I'd likely arrive a Vindolanda pretty close to closing time anyway.. So instead I decided to stay with the hike along the wall.

Feeling refreshed from my rest, I continued along Hadrian's Wall going down them up steep crags. These little valleys were so sudden, I wouldn't see them until I was on top one and and staring down the steep hill, often with either snow in the worst possible place, slippery mud or both.  I went down more of these hills on my arse than I care to admit.  I loved the names of the Crags. From Housesteads, I hiked over Housestead Crags, Cudays Crags, Hotbank Crags, Highshield Crags, Peel Crags and Windshield Crags.  At Cawfield Gap I turned off the wall to walk across the fields towards Haltwhistle. The Roman's had one more thing in store for me - crossing the Vallum.  At this location the Vallum looked everything like a Roman road. The ditches on each side were full of water and mud that looked deep. It took me a while to find a way across the two ditches. I found some small stones that helped me not sink too far into the mud.

Looking back along the crags the way I have come - Housesteads is about a mile and a half beyond the trees

Once out of the field, I cross the B6318 (The Military Way) and then followed Shield Hill Lane that took me the 3.5 km down the long steep hill into Haltwhistle. I drank my can of beer while walking into Haltwhistle. My hotel was easy to find in the centre of the small town - Centre of Britain Hotel.   My room was £60 but came with an in-suite sauna and a complimentary full English breakfast.

Drinking an IPA as I walk down the hill into Haltwhistle.

I went out to the co-op to buy food to carry with me for lunch and another beer for the walk tomorrow. Then I went to the local pub, also called The Black Bull, and ordered a couple pints, a traditional meat pie dinner and sticky toffee pudding for dessert. I'd walked and ran 47 km today, so figured I earned all the calories I could eat.  I liked this pub. It opened in the early 1600s and had been a pub from day one. A big fire was burning, a few dogs lay at their owners' feet. I sat at the bar. I got talking to a guy from Devon who was in town on business and staying at Centre of Britain hotel, He told me they made the best breakfast anywhere.  The barmaid was local and was interested in my hiking adventure, though I think she thought I was crazy.  Only one guy could place my accent - he said "sounds like Lancashire, and I'm going to say Oldham.  After 40 years in Canada I'm amazed because I don't think I sound like I'm from Oldham now.

Centre of Britain Hotel, Haltwhistle - best full English breakfast anywhere.

Day 3: Hadrian's Wall - Haltwhislte to Carlisle
I must have slept solid last night. In fact in the morning I was surprised my water was full, tailwind was mixed. I don't remember doing that the night before, but I must have. After what I have to say was the best English breakfast I've ever had, I set off at 8:00 am.  Today I wanted to get to Carlisle, 47 kms away.  I retraced my steeps up the steep and long climb back to Hadrian's wall.  It wasn't that bad a climb actually and I was soon back at the wall. I avoided the footpath that took me across the Vallum - I'd had enough of muddy Roman defenses.  I rejoined the wall and continued along the crags heading west.

A turret and part of the wall in a farmyard

While the weather started out sunny, it soon became windy, with a nasty headwind, and later in the day some light rain. As I was climbing crag after crag, the wind picked up and and was slowing me down. A headwind up there wasn't much fun. While not as powerful as the storm a few days earlier, it made the going hard and made running a waste of time.

After descending off the Northumberland moors, I crossed Tipalt Burn (a small river), and then the Carlisle to Newcaste-upon-Tyne railway line via a footpath level crossing. I'm always nervous crossing British railway lines on uncontrolled level crossings. While not a high speed line, the trains still go through there at 140 km/h.

Crossing the Newcastle to Carlisle railway line

From there the footpath goes through some neat sounding places - Foul Town, Gap, Lawn Tap, Runner Foot. At Gilsland the footpath was closed due to erosion, so I had to follow the detour under the railway, and then down into the village. I passed an amazing kids slide - long and down a bank with a long slide out at the end.  Looked like a lot of fun.

This is seriously the best slide ever.

Not far from Gilsland I came up on the remains of the abutments where Hadrian's Wall crossed over the River Irthing. The river has moved a hundred metres or more to the west, but in Roman times it would have flowed through the abutments.  From here, I crossed the River Irthing and climbed a long steep track up the opposite bank.  Of course there was no wind and the sun was out, making it a hot climb.  Once at the top, I rejoined remains of the wall and enjoyed hiking alongside it for a while.

Remains of the bridge abutments where Hadrian's Wall crossed the River Irthing

Passing Birdoswald Roman Fort, I followed the wall and route of the wall as it remained on the highlands just north of the River Irthing. Descending to the River King, the footpath was again closed due to erosion and a detour along the lane and then up the hill to Walton.  After Walton I continued across farm fields and crossed the A6071 at Newtown.  By now it was raining and I was getting hungry, but I could not find a placed to shelter out of the relentless wind.  It was too cold to stop, so I kept going, drinking Tailwind for calories but really wanting something solid. I'd burned off my big English breakfast hours ago.

Lambs on the footpath wondering if they should run to mommy - they did.

I finally found a sheltered spot as I stepped over a stile and into a small farmyard, with trees sheltering me from the wind. I sat on a stone near the trees and ate the sandwich I'd bought last night.  Feeling better, I continued on and after more farm fields on a rather flat stretch of land, I turned left, then crossed the A689 (Crosby-on-Eden Bypass) and into Lower Crosby.

It was here that I ran in what must have been the village idiot.  A man was pushing his bike up the hill towards me along the lane. He stopped as I came by and said "excuse me".  I stopped and he asked how to turn on his lights. I looked at the bicycle and I could not see any lights. so I said "pardon?".  So he pointed to a reflector on the back of the bike and asked how to make it work. He also pointed to the front reflector.  I politely (and trying not to laugh) pointed out to him that he did not have any lights on his bike, and those were reflectors.  He looked at me like I was dumb. So I said, they reflect light, from car headlights.  It took me a few tries but then he got it. He smiled and said  "oh.  Cheers". Then he was on his way. Probably relieved that his "lights" were working properly.

The footpath out of the village ran by the River Eden, but it was badly eroded and closed. A detour was in place alongside the busy A689 on a paved cycle path. The stretch alongside the A689 was thankfully short and easy to run and I was soon off the A road and back on lanes.

I rejoined the footpath at Park Boon, and this took me along an unpaved farm lane to Linstock, then over the M6 motorway (which I could hear for quite a distance).  Shortly after the M6 I was in the beautiful village of Rickerby and the footpath followed a cycle route around the village. I ran this section.

Getting close to my destination for the day

I entered Carlisle through Rickerby Park, crossing the River Eden on a footbridge and coming into downtown along Strand Road.  I walked through the city to the County Hotel.

County Hotel was an older building, big massive staircase going up to my room under the sloping roof on the fourth floor, and a rather tiny lift with a pull-open door next to the stairs. I preferred the stairs.

I was so done when I got the County Hotel. My bag was waiting for me. So nice to have that service.  I went out to a pub, but it was a big touristy one. It was fine, but I prefer the smaller more local pubs that you find away from the tourist spots.

Carlisle

I was back in my room by 8:00 pm and so tired. I wasn't sure if I wanted to walk the rest of the way to Boweness-on-Solway tomorrow. There were no Roman remains to be seen, it was just a hike along the route of the wall. Maybe I'll sleep in, go to Carlisle Castle and then get an earlier train to Glasgow. I had an open ticket for this reason. I went to sleep at 8:30 pm and decided to make my decision in the morning. I set the alarm for 7 am. My feet were aching.

Day 4: Carlisle to Bowness-on-Solway
I awoke at 7 am and felt well rested after 11 hours sleep. I don't think I moved all night. My feet felt good and I had energy. The walk was on.

I went downstairs and had the hotel's Full English breakfast, which was pretty good but not as good at the one from the Centre of Britain Hotel in Haltwhistle.  At 7:45 am, I checked out and asked them to hold my suitcase again and set off. I walked down past the castle, and joined Hadrian's Wall footpath in Bitts Park on the south bank of the river Eden.

Wierd rock things in Bitts Park - on the footpath leaving Carlisle

This was a short day. The route to Bowness-on-Solway was 25 km. I had timed it so I would arrive in Bowness-on-Solway in time to catch the one and only afternoon bus back to Carlisle, which leaves at 1:37 pm. Miss that and I'm either stuck in Bowness-on-Solway until 5:30 pm or taking an expensive taxi back to Carlisle.  My Garmin Fenix 3 said I would arrive Bowness-on-Solway around 12:30 pm.  Perfect. Enough time for a pint and lunch in the King's Arms while I waited for the bus.

The first part of the walk out of Carlisle was quite nice, alongside the River Eden. I crossed under the West Coast Mainline. The footpath climbed a cut-bank and then along farm fields, before dropping back down to the river and into Grinsdale. From here, the footpath leaves the river and cuts through farm fields in a pretty straight line (after all, it is following the route of the Roman wall).

Relaxing walk along side the River Eden - an abandoned viaduct.

I didn't see it but was glad to get out of the field

At Burgh-by-Sands the footpath joined a road that led in a dead-straight line three miles across the marsh to Drumburgh.  This section of road is subject to flooding at high tide. It can be under three feet of water at highest tides. I checked the tide table the night before and this morning the tide was low. That afternoon the tide was forecast to be nine metres, which is the start of the flooding level. I didn't want to walk three miles in a foot of salt water.  The road doesn't close, there are just warnings and indicators of how deep the water is if it is up to a particular sign.

Crossing the marsh at low-tide

It took me an hour to cross the marsh. On the way I passed a couple from Calgary who had just started out from Bowness-on-Solway earlier. They were doing the entire walk but only going to Carlisle today. I gave them some intel on the footpaths and route - where the detours were and asked if they had a map with them because in some places they'll need it. They did.

After Drumburgh, the footpath went through farms more inland before running alongside the Solway as I entered village of Port Carlisle. A walker had given me some bad news. He told me the Kings Arms in Bowness-on-Solway was closed for renovations.  There was nowhere else to go in Bowness-on-Solway - not even a bakery or cafe.  He said I could grab a beer in Port Carlisle and take it with me to Bowness. I told him I had a contingency and showed him the can of beer in my hydration pack.

130 yard to the end of the Hadrian's Wall footpath

After Port Carlisle I had an easy 1.5 mile hike along the road and into Bowness-on-Solway. I found the end of the footpath at the edge of the Solway. I arrived at 12:10 pm.  Knowing the pub was closed, I found a warm sheltered spot in the sun and sat and just enjoyed the view and drank a beer I had carried from Carlisle.

End of the hike at Bowness-on-Solway

I reflected on my journey. While I did cheat and take the train in a couple sections, I didn't regret it. In all I had walked 141 km across England. With my non-race the day before, over the five days I had walked/ran 202 km. The actual distance if I had walked all of Hadrian's Wall was 148 km.  And this way I got to see the best bits in daylight. Arriving at Bowness-on-Solway was gratifying.

At about 1 pm I decided to go in search of the bus stop and also find the 12th Century church in the centre of the village. I found both and I also found the Kings Arms.  It was certainly under renovations. The door was open and I could see dust covers over everything, the walls stripped to brick, dust and plaster all over the floor. There was a woman inside doing a bit of cleaning so I stuck my head in to have a look.

Kings Arms - closed for renovation.

The women asked if I wanted a pint, said the taps were still on. I said yes, please. She pulled the dust covers off and pulled me a pint. I sat at a dusty table chatting with her, drinking my beer. There fire wasn't lit, and there was not central heating in the pub, but she did have portable electric heaters on that helped.

Inside the under-renovations pub - Having a pint anyway.

I waited in the pub until the bus was due then went outside to flag it down.  Right on time at 1:37 pm the No. 93 bus pulled in.  It cost me £6.40 to travel the 25 km back to Carlisle. This was a rural bus route, serving the villages and farms along the Solway. It had come in over the marsh, but we went back a different way - taking about 45 minutes. It gave me a wonderful tour of the area.

The No. 93 bus heading to Carlisle from Bowness-on-Solway

I arrived back at the Carlisle bus station about 2:30 pm. Hungry, I went straight to a restaurant for lunch and then back to the hotel. I picked up my bags and then used a toilet room to change in. Then I walked across the street to Carlisle Citadel Station and got the 1550 train to Glasgow Central. The train was delayed 10 minutes due to a failed train on the fast lines just outside London. We made good time and with cooperative signals and a driver keeping us on the edge of the 200 km/h speed limit (for the tilting train I was on), we arrived in Glasgow only 5 minutes late.

To finish off this story, I had booked a room in the CitizenM hotel in Glasgow. It's about a 7 minute walk from Glasgow Central Station. As I walked up the street, I came to a section cordoned off and fire engines and firefighters clearly fighting a blaze in a building there. I had to walk a long way around as several blocks were closed. My hotel was across the street from the fire. I asked at a police road block how to get to the hotel. He said, just walk up here, past the fire fighters canteen, be care of the hoses, and they'll let you in through the back loading dock of the hotel.  The street was filled with smoke.  Inside the hotel was fine, no smoke.  I decided to stay as there were no other hotels in my price range. I'm glad I did - the room was great - very modern with everything controlled from an iPad mini. It's how I imagined a hotel would be if it was designed by Steve Jobs.

Outside my hotel in Glasgow

I found out later that the fire had started that morning at 8:30 am. It was in a night club and it took 120 firefighters from across Scotland to fight it.  It was still burning when I left the next day.

CitizenM - High-tech room - the shower and toilet compartment acts as a mood light with the color controlled by the iPad mini.

Hadrian's Wall was a fun adventure. I walked most of it from east to west. Most people do it the other way so they have the prevailing winds at their backs. And those winds can be strong up on the exposed crags on the Northumberland moors.

If you go - take a map and compass, or at least a GPS watch with the track on it. While it is well marked mostly, there are places where there just seems to be no signs.  English footpaths are right-of-ways across private land. So mostly there is no obvious track. Follow the arrows on the footpath signs - they point in the general direction across a field you need to go.  Expect a lot of mud and some steep slippery climbs and descents.  The route is pretty remote and you will go for hours without going through a village or crossing a road. It's best to go prepared and take food and water with you.  A lot of the route is easily accessible by train, with trains running hourly. There is a summer bus service that follows the Military Road.  Haltwhistle is the best base for seeing Vindolanda, Housesteads and the the wall on the crags.

I hiked/ran with an Ultimate Direction 25 litre Fast Pack. The pack was comfortable and held everything I needed - though it was full mostly with layers due to the cool and variable weather.  I didn't carry a map as I had offline maps on my phone and a battery charger that could charge it up three times. I also had the route on my Garmin 3 - preloaded in Canada. I did have a compass with me. But an Ordnance Survey map would be good to have with you. I also had a bright bike/running headlamp and two batteries so I felt comfortable being out after dark - that way I never felt rushed to get to my destination.  I also carried an emergency bivy, first aid kit, blister pads, mirror (on my compass), emergency torch, whistle, and 800 calories of Tailwind for emergencies (which I didn't need to use).