A diary of the Cumbrian part of a walk by Peter & Jeanne Donaghy, and John & Gillian Laidler during July 2004.
Places to Stay :
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Four of us recently completed the 84 mile walk from Wallsend to Bowness on Solway, and we were particularly
delighted with the Cumbrian section. Between Gilsland and Birdoswald stand some of the best preserved remains
of this fascinating monument to the skill and ingenuity of those who served the Roman Empire.
Among the highlights of our Cumbrian experience were the following: |
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Meeting a legionnaire near the border between Northumberland and Cumbria to the west of Gilsland. Jefficus is a professional costumed guide and a fount of information and amusing stories. He certainly brought our visit to life! |
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Milecastle 48 just west of the Poltross Burn, where we enjoyed our picnic lunch as we contemplated the remains
of a staircase which suggests that the wall was about 15 feet high at this point.
Left - Milecastle 48, Below - Turret 48a |
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The lengthy Willowford bridge section of wall which is followed by a superb modern crossing of the River Irthing over a bridge constructed in the same steel as Anthony Gormley’s Angel of the North. |
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Birdoswald with its welcoming visitor centre, where we were revived by tea and cakes, and where we vowed to return to explore the remains of the fort. |
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The fine evidence of wall, vallum and ditch set in idyllic countryside between Birdoswald and Banks after which point the wall is no longer found exposed. |
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The pleasant village of Walton where after a long day we were warmly welcomed and refreshed at the aptly named Centurion Inn. |
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Further timely refreshments courtesy of Jennings at the Stag Inn at Crosby on Eden. |
| The pleasant stretch of walking along the banks of the River Eden before, through and after Carlisle |
Kirkandrews-on-Eden where we meet two of the numerous volunteer wardens who watch over the wellbeing of both wall and walkers. Here we learnt that route alterations are already in hand to cope with erosion
Marshmallow tearoom at Port Carlisle where we lingered to admire the Solway plain happy in the knowledge that only one mile of our trek remained.
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The end of the walk at Bowness on Solway - Peter & Jeanne Donaghy, and John & Gillian Laidler. Both couples are experienced walkers who
together have designed and had published over 100 walks.
See 'Lakeland Church Walks and Northumbria Church Walks' for more information. |
The Cumbrian connection is enhanced by the fact that the souvenir passport carried by most walkers, which they can have stamped en route as proof of their achievement, is sponsored by Jennings Brewery of Cockermouth. Three of the six stamping points are located in Cumbria: Birdoswald (GR NY615663); Sands Sports centre, Carlisle (GR NY402565); Banks Promenade or The King’s Arms, Bowness on Solway (GR NY223628).
We were fortunate enough between two couples to have accommodation in Newcastle and Cockermouth. We were therefore able to do the walk using two cars to ferry us to our daily destination where we left one car and the drove the other to our starting point using Newcastle as our base for the first half, a B&B at Beggar Bog Farm, Housesteads at the mid-point and staying in Cockermouth for the final stages. We distributed the mileages as follows :
- Saturday Wallsend-Heddon on the Wall 15.0
- Sunday Heddon- Chollerford 15.0
- Monday (evening only) Chollerford-Brocolitia 4.5
- Tuesday (at work!)
- Wednesday Brocolitia-Cawfields 10.5
- Thursday Cawfields-Walton 13.0
- Friday Walton-Grinsdale 12.5
- Saturday Grinsdale- Bowness on Solway 13.5
- Total Mileage - 84 miles.
We thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, despite some inclement weather, and we were amazed by the number of foreign visitors we encountered on the way. This is clearly already established as a truly international walk of distinction.
If we have three recommendations they would be:
- Attempt the walk sooner than later, that is, before it becomes too popular;
- If you require accommodation en route, then book well in advance
- Consider doing the walk from west to east. You have the prevailing wind at your back and you have more transport and accommodation options by finishing at Wallsend. And where better to finish than at a museum and café in the shadow of Swan Hunter Shipyards, and near the birth place of international rock star Sting!
See other walks by Peter Donaghy.
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