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The path can be conveniently broken down into six sections.
The path starts by the Swan Hunter Ship Yard. Before starting the walk it is worth visiting the nearby site of the Roman fort of Segedunum. Most of this section runs through urban areas, including through the center of Newcastle Upon Tyne , and along the banks of the Tyne. Only the last part, leading to Heddon-on-the-Wall, is in open countryside. There are occasional glimpses of the Wall.
This section is almost entirely through open countryside. The Wall is occasionally visible, and the Vallum {Link without Title} are frequently visible.
The Roman fort of Chesters is close to the start of this section. The path starts to rise now and the countryside becomes moor, rather than farmland. This is one of the best parts of the walk. Much more of the Wall is visible and parts of it run along the edge of crags and give superb views over the open countryside to the north. The path passes the Roman fort at Vercovicium Housesteads , which has been extensively restored and contains much of interest.
This is another excellent section across open countryside, with the Wall occasionally visible. The Roman fort at Birdoswald has a museum. The Pennine Way long distance path crosses the Hadrian’s Wall Path near the village of Greenhead. As the path approaches Walton Lanercost Priory is a short walk to the south. Much of the Priory was built with stones taken from the Wall.
This section of the path moves back down into farmland. Part of the path is alongside the River Eden.
The first part of this section is rather boring, but the walking improves once the path gets beyond the outskirts of Carlisle. Most of the path runs alongside either the River Eden or the Solway Firth. There is not much of the Wall to be seen of but the walking is open and pleasant. The path ends in the village of Bowness-on-Solway. ACCESS Both Newcastle and Carlisle are on the UK national railway network. The start of the walk at Wallsend can be easily reached by taking a local train from Newcastle to the Wallsend Metro Station, and then walking a short distance. The Tyne Valley railway line runs between Newcastle and Carlisle, with stops at Wylam, Corbridge, Hexham, Haydon Bridge, Bardon Mill and Haltwhistle. For most of its length the line is not within easy walking distance of the Wall. The Wall can also be easily accessed by car, bus or taxi. There is a Hadrian’s Wall bus service which runs close to the Wall during the summer. The service runs along the full length of the wall but the most frequent services are between Carlisle and Hexham. The bus stops at the main sites along the Wall. ACCOMMODATION AND SERVICES The increasing popularity of the walk, and the lack of accommodation along the route, has made it necessary to book lodgings well in advance. If you have a car the attractive small town of Corbridge has three hotels, and is a convenient point from which to tackle the path. There are five youth hostels near the path. Services such as accommodation, restaurants and taxis can be best found by using the Google Local UK site. This takes listings from the UK Yellow Pages and other sources and locates them on Google’s maps. Additional information on accommodations can be found on the National Trail website (see External Links). JOHN CLAYTON Much of the Wall has disappeared. That any part remains is due to John Clayton. He trained as a lawyer and became head of the law firm started by his father. He was also Town Clerk of Newcastle in the 1830s. He became enthusiastic about preserving the wall after a visit to Chesters. To prevent farmers taking stones from the Wall he began buying some of the land on which the Wall stood. In 1834 he started purchasing property around Steel Rigg. Eventually he had control of land from Brunton to Cawfields. This stretch included the sites of Chesters, Carrawburgh, Housesteads and Vindolanda. Clayton carried out excavation work at the fort at Cilurnum, and at Housesteads and excavated some milecastles. Clayton managed the farms he had acquired with considerable skill, and succeeded in improving both the land and the livestock. His successful management produced a cash flow which could be invested in future restoration work. Workmen were employed to restore sections of the Wall, generally up to a height of seven courses. The best example of the Clayton Wall is to be seen at Housesteads Crags. After Clayton’s death the estate passed to a fool of the family, who soon lost it at gambling. Eventually the National Trust was to begin the process of acquiring the land on which the Wall stands. At Wallington Hall, near Morpeth there is a painting by William Bell Scott which shows a centurion supervising the building of the Wall. The centurion has been given the face of John Clayton. SEE ALSO REFERENCES
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