A Day Out Along the Wall - Part Two

I like to hike. My backyard is part of the Crescent Trail system in Perinton. Horizon Hill is a regular climb for me, and I did manage to survive hiking the Dordogne in my 2011 FFT adventure, so I should be ready for anything Hadrian’s Wall can throw my way. 

Greetings from the Walltown Crags, elevation 794 feet.

Wow - that looks imposing. But from down below in the Walltown Quarry Park, I could see the tiny figures, speck-like, waving from the top. Were they reveling in the awesome view? Celebrating a triumphant climb? Asking for help? Warning me off? 

Hmmmm...decided to go on anyway. Now try and visualize a wall running along the length of that ridge, with turrets and mile castles regularly positioned. If I were a Roman, I wouldn’t be climbing to the top of the bloody crags, I’d be running along the top of the wall!

Waved and said hello to every hiker I passed - most had a pained look on their faces as they descended. I asked one woman if the view was worth the effort and she laughed and said, “Well, I don’t know if I’d do it again, but yes, the view was certainly worth it.” Ok, I was in. The gentle ascent gave way to a quaint gate that reminded hikers to close it as you passed and then I was met with this:

Anyone have a protractor? This angle of climb is insane!

I know - the angle on that climb was extreme to say the least. Kind of wish I had an escalator. Onward! Calves were burning, lungs desperately trying to draw in enough oxygen to push me forward, heart thumping - you get the idea. Of course I stopped along the way (two times) and had to ration my water - still more hills after this one!

Finally got to the ledge at the top. Wow. Great views, indeed! 

No wonder the Romans wanted the high ground!

Of course, then I got to be one with the wall. I thought about the thousands of men who had to build this thing day in, day out, in all sorts of weather. You mean someone had to lug stones up THAT hill? I was appreciating the Roman Army’s engineering prowess more and more. The stones of the wall were fascinating. Many were roughly cut, others were clearly quarried and set in place with care. I also couldn’t help but notice the fauna growing in, on and around the stones. 

Lots of lichens, but some of the other plants only grow here because of the limestone blocks in Hadrian’s Wall. They are the same plants you’d find in the tundra/ taiga biome. Refreshed, I decided to walk some more, at least to the ruins of a turret. The Hadrian’s Wall walking path is well marked on maps, but not so much in the field itself. You need to eyeball it and look for the clues of where others have hiked (sadly, litter is one of those markers). The turret was a shell of its former self, but afforded some great sights.

Milecastle 45 beckoned (it’s on the far side of that crag in the distance!), but looking at the clock, I needed to head back down, lest I miss the bus a second time. 

Come on, Chris, just another 30 minutes to the next stop!

Rolling hills and Hadrian’s Wall - thank you for the view, Fund For Teachers!

Made it down the crags, onto the bus and we were off to Vindolanda for our last stop on this very long day. More on that visit in the next entry.