Humshaugh to Once Brewed: 14.6 miles

After yesterday’s long haul into Humshaugh, today finally felt like the walk we’d been expecting. If you’ve ever looked at photographs of Hadrian’s Wall and imagined dramatic ridges, sweeping views and those iconic stretches of Roman stone snaking across the landscape, this is the day for you.

We were sad to leave the luxurious sanctuary of Linden House and wish we could have spent a bit more time chilling out there. The other couple staying there were taking a day off from walking and I think they’d made a good choice because Linden House really is wonderfully relaxing.

After a brisk walk downhill to Chollerford, we made a brief visit to Chesters Roman Fort. It is worth making the stop just to see the excellent example of Roman Baths there (and to collect your Hadrian’s Wall passport stamp, of course!) The well-preserved Roman Baths are situated down by the river and you can just imagine the craic the soldiers must have had when they were off duty and had a chance to relax and move through the warm, hot and cold rooms there. Who doesn’t love a bit of spa time? We didn’t have time to look round the museum so we thought we’d save that for another day and continue on our way. 

We had a hill to climb up to Walwick which was one of the those long, grinding rises. We popped out at the top to make a right turn at a stand of trees and found a lovely chap called Ant selling coffees from his Sundog Coffee van at Milecastle 29. His little espresso machine provided a very welcome caffeine hit to keep Suzanne going (none for Nick though as he only drinks decaf!) 

From this point on, we really felt like we were walking the Roman frontier. For mile after mile, substantial stretches of the original Wall appear beside the path. Instead of occasional fragments, you’re suddenly walking alongside huge stretches of stonework. Every few hundred metres there seems to be another turret, another milecastle or another reminder of this impressive piece of Roman engineering. You switch between walking on the side of the Wall, to down in the Vallum, to the other side of the wall – imagining what it would have felt like to be a patrolling Roman soldier or a marauding Pict trying to find a breach point.

The walking was much more enjoyable too, today. The path tracks alongside the road, but is not right alongside it, unlike much of yesterday’s walk. Firm going, but on grassy surfaces. Gently undulating (at least to start with) and the weather was perfect – slightly overcast but still warm enough for shorts and t-shirts and just enough breeze to keep the mozzies at bay. We had the occasional bit of drizzle and had to get a jacket out just near Brocolitia Fort and the Temple of Mithraeum, but otherwise it was another dry day. 

We were in no rush today, and a good job that was too with tired legs and a morning of gaining height. We came across the aptly named Grindon fort at Milecastle 34, nicknamed ‘Grind On’ as it was a bit of a slog up here. There was a lovely stretch around Shield on The Wall where the grass was long and we found a sheltered spot behind a wall to sit and have a cup of tea. We sat there like a couple of pixies hidden in the grass, looking out at the other walkers passing by.

We’d spent most of the morning gaining height and the landscape started to change. We entered a section of woodland at Sewingshields and found a little honesty shop at the farm there – a great place to grab some refreshments if you need them. 

Just after that the woodland opens up onto moorland again and you find yourself walking alongside a section of the Wall that was built on crags. Steep drop-offs to the North side can be seen through sections where the Wall has collapsed and you can imagine how remote this must have felt as a soldier on patrol centuries ago. Talk about punishment postings, this place would have been pretty miserable in the depths of winter two thousand years ago. We had another cup of tea just before the top of Sewingshields Crags. The views here are amazing. You can see the wall snaking along the line of crags to the West giving a preview of the next section we would have to walk.

This was some of the best walking we’ve had so far. The route follows the natural landscape, up and down with some steep sections until you reach Knag Burn Gate, a well-preserved section that would have provided one of the few routes through the wall. That is also now the gateway to Housesteads Fort. 

Housesteads Fort occupies a dramatic position below the Whin Sill ridge. It is worth planning a rest stop here as there’s a museum shop that sells coffees and ice creams – and you have to descend to that if you want to get your Hadrian’s Wall passport stamped in any case. Take time to wander round the remains of the fort that was here too. There’s a lot to see. 

From Housesteads, you have to regain the ridge to carry on the walk, but, there is actually a choice you can make. If you’ve had enough already of the constant up down, up down, of following the Wall alongside the top of the ridge, you can take the broad, grassy route of the military road just below it to the south instead. It makes for much easier walking on this section where the wall is built right on the craggy outcrops of Hotbank Crags. Both routes come together later on.

It wasn’t long before we glimpsed Crag Lough, a shimmering expanse of water down below. Hemmed in by the towering cliffs, this is definitely my favourite view of the day. We still had quite a way to go to get to the top of Crag Lough cliffs though, so more up and down still to come. The last section is through a delightful woodland and makes the climb much more enjoyable. 

We met up with an old friend, Jack, at the top of the climb. He’s nearly 83 and had been waiting for us there, sitting on the rocks at the top, regaling passers-by with tales of climbing the cliffs from the Lough when he was a youngster. In those days, there was no chalk for his hands, nylon ropes or sticky rands on climbing shoes. He delighted in telling us that when he started climbing here 65 years ago it was with hemp ropes, rough knuckles and leather boots. What a legend and proof that you are only as old as you think you are. 82 years old and still having adventures. 

Like everyone else walking the Wall these days, we paused at Sycamore Gap to pay our respects. We had been here before when the ancient tree still commanded the landscape and it was sad to see that one senseless act could take that from future generations. Nature will heal herself and a new tree will grow in time, but the gap without the tree is a reminder that nothing lasts forever, so enjoy life while you can.  

It wasn’t far now to our overnight rest stop. We descended from the Wall and stayed at Vallum Lodge, a popular B&B just on the B6318 a couple of hundred metres from the Twice Brewed pub where we went for dinner. Make sure to make a reservation if you want to eat there (and you probably will as there’s nowhere else if you are staying in this area). 

Check out the Relive video we’ve made of this walk: Hadrian’s Wall Day 4