The Great North Wall in the steps of legions

AD122. As an act of consolidation of the Roman Empire, the Emperor Hadrian decides  to build a wall to mark its northern boundary.  Originally 15 feet high, six feet wide and 84 miles long, the line of the Roman Wall still runs through some of the most rugged, beautiful and wind-swept regions of Northern England.  As he walked the wall from west to east, Mark Davidson found himself confronting ghosts of history and the banality of modern urban life

My journey would take me from the Solway Firth in Cumbria to Wallsend on Tyneside. For much of that journey, the wall would be nothing more than a notion, highlighted by heritage signs. But in places it’s still possible to get a feel of what a posting to this remote part of Britain must have been like for Roman legionaries.

Starting at Bowness-on-Solway the weather was quite warm and it took a little time to find the start. However, as the first part of the wall is made from turf, a man-made shelter has been erected to signify the start/end of the walk. Constructed recently there is the opportunity for people to stamp their passports to say that they are about to embark on the famous journey.

This small village of less than 100 houses is on the Solway Firth which lies between England and Scotland. The Wall starts in the village which is in North-West Cumbria to the west of Carlisle. The western end of Hadrian’s Wall is a major tourist attraction here along with beaches and many species of wading birds.

Walking through the countryside in Cumbria, there is little to be seen of Roman history with the only indication of the Wall being National Trust signs and yellow arrows to guide walkers along the 84 miles towards Wallsend in the east. From this direction there is often an easterly breeze and walkers have to factor this into their plans.

Arriving at the village of Glasson there was the welcome sight of the local pub. Due to worries over dehydration I enjoyed a pint of ice-cold lemonade which helped see me through until my first camp.

That evening I stopped at Boustead Hill where I pitched my tent for the night. I had decided to camp as I enjoy the outdoors and wanted to feel as close as possible to the life the Romans had lived centuries ago.

It was a satisfying walk on the first day, only a modest five and a half miles but it had allowed me to break into the walk ever-so-gently.

Despite a heavy backpack – I was carrying all my camping equipment along with a small army stove and food supplies to last the entire journey – I got used to the extra weight that I felt would burden me for the next few days. Assisted with a trekking pole and carrying two lightweight water bottles to keep supplies replenished, the only concern was the availability of water stops en-route. However, there are plenty of pubs along the way to help with refills along with plenty of ice-cold lemonade.

The next day my route initially followed the course of the River Eden before finally arriving at the city of Carlisle. It can be a little strange walking through the centre of the city having previously covered a number of miles in open countryside. That evening I set up camp at the small village of Laversdale.

Anyone naive enough to expect to see the fully complete Hadrian’s Wall from end to end will, unsurprisingly, be disappointed. The outline of the wall starts to form in the area around Bankshead and after a few hours walking I started to see the first signs when I reached Banks East Turret.

Soon I came across my first fort, at Birdoswald, once occupied by Roman auxiliaries. The River Irthing flows nearby and they had built a bridge across to allow a continuation of the wall. Time and tide wait for no man and the remains of the structure now stand in a nearby field with the river running nearby.

A new bridge at Willowford now crosses the river, allowing walkers and hikers to enjoy stunning views of the area.

Moving on the next day I arrived at what is arguably the most exciting, yet strenuous part of the walk – the Military Way. In this area the highest point of the entire walk is recorded at 345 metres high at Windshields Crags. The views are spectacular and it allows you to see for miles wherever you look.

However, the undulating terrain didn’t make the task of carrying my pack any easier.

The Roman Army Museum at Greenhead provides information as to how the Romans lived and served during their 25-year period of conscription. Upon completion each would be granted the freedom of the Roman Empire. Unfortunately, the vagaries of war suggest that few would have lived to see out their retirement as a Roman citizen.

The most photogenic part of the walk is at Sycamore Gap, a location featured in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Vindolanda is arguably the most important Roman fort in the area, not because of the fortification, but because of the writing tablets discovered during excavations on site. They document life during the occupation.

As I walked alongside the wall each day, there were many signs asking for walkers to help preserve the pathways. In a number of instances, new routes have been cut nearby to try and avoid further erosion. At certain locations though, such as Housesteads, it was impossible to avoid walking right next to the fort as it formed part of the fortification in this area.

For the purposes of cooking, I used a simple Hexamine stove although it was difficult to use in windy conditions. Despite being keen to do a spot of wild camping it was clear that there is a watchful eye against any unregulated stops and all those intending to camp have to do so on official sites.

Then it was on towards Chesters Fort where I saw first hand the garrison where Hadrian himself had command over 500 men at any one time. I reached the fort near a place called Brunton Turret, where there’s a surviving wall section and a piece of turret eight feet high, built by men of the 20th Legion. It is one of the best preserved turrets on the entire wall.

That night I camped on the green at Wall Village, the nearest I managed to get to wild camping. Due to the cold evenings and damp mornings it was an uncomfortable night and a cold one.

When leaving the village it was a matter of heading towards Newcastle and less of the wall and more of modern day living as I made my way towards the end. However, I was able to visit the ancient town of Corbridge and walk on the original Stanegate road to explore the aqueduct and fountain house.

Arriving in Newcastle, it is a case of navigating a way through various council estates and along the River Tyne towards the shipyards where the route nears its end. Unfortunately remnants of the wall have long since disappeared and only public signs noted where it once stood in these parts.

Finally, upon reaching Segedunum Fort, the wall and the walk officially ended for me. There is a small part of the wall still remaining and this marks the start or end of the Wall.

A small brown sign in front of the Swan Hunters shipyard, indicates the start of the walk. There is a strong heritage of shipbuilding in this area and, in a strange way, this mundane piece of signage ties together two important links in the chain of local history.

There has been a campaign to officially mark this part of the walk. Whether successful or not, this campaign will never be as great as the one that Hadrian set out on in AD122 to build a wall covering 84 miles across the breadth of England.

As you can imagine, wheelchairs were not uppermost in the minds of Romans when they built the wall, so accessibility is very difficult.

However, running throughout the summer between Newcastle and Carlisle and stopping at various visitor attractions, towns and villages along the way, the AD122 Bus is the best way to explore the wonders of Hadrian’s Wall country if you are unable to get around unaided.

• hadrians-wall.org/page.aspx//Journey/Getting-Around