Day 9 Hadrian's Wall & Drive to Scotland

Today I got to hike along Hadrian's Wall. I drove my rental car down the little lanes a few miles to a visitor's center for Vinolanda, an active archeological dig that's an old Roman fort. It was pretty interesting, but I wanted to hurry on to walk along Hadrian's Wall. I'd heard you can actually walk on top of the wall.

The wall was built about A.D. 125 by the Roman emperor Hadrian. It stretches from sea to sea at the narrowest part of England, about 80 miles. Most of it is still there. It marked the northernmost boundary of the Roman Empire, and had a small fort every mile and soldiers stationed all along it to protect from invading Scotsmen.

I left my car at a visitor's center, and caught the bus to another Roman fort area (huge) a few miles to the east. After hiking a half mile uphill, I finally got up on the wall and walked west, toward my car. This is the top of the world, kind of like in the top of the Bighorns in Wyoming, except it's the top of the North York moors. You can see in every direction for miles and miles. What a hike! Wind about 30 mph in my face the whole way, but part sun and breezy white clouds and no rain! There was a whole lot of up and down, and every mile felt like 3, with lots of long staircases as the wall winds up and down the hills.

Robin Hood's Tree sits in the middle of the wall. You've seen it in lots of posters and movies.

You actually can only walk on top of a short section. The rest of the time, you walk beside the wall. There is a much easier trail about 100 yards away, but you can't see the wall from there. I figured I didn't come all this way not to walk right next to the wall, so what should have taken me 2 hours, took 3 and a half.

I was sweaty and red-faced when I finally finished, but I am so proud of myself!

There was an American group of a dozen retirees staying in my B & B who were walking the whole wall. I thought what a great scout hike this would make! Now it's on to Scotland. I'm really enjoying this trip.

I never could buy a decent map of the way to Scotland, so I just went on the GPS and B&B directions, and I made it just fine. My B&B lady was expecting me at 2, but I didn't get there until 5, and she'd been waiting for me and needed to go to town. I was sorry, but what a wonderful day I'd had!

What a fabulously scenic drive through southern Scotland! I finally got on the motorway, and after an hour I saw a sign that said "Scenic way to Edinburgh" so I definitely took that! It was a narrow 2-lane road that wound through tall hills with sheep and timber stands and past lakes and through little villages. The sun kept peeking out and turning everything brilliant, and the drive was wonderful.

Day 8 Traveling to Northern England

Here I am in Haltwhistle, near Hadrians' Wall in northern England. I'm in an old manor house that has been made into a really nice B&B, and it's cheap, only 36 pounds, because it's so far out.

I took the train from London north as far as York, where I got off to tour the town. It's supposed to be the next best tourist town after London, and it is.

It's very compact, so you can walk to everything, and it has a quaint old medieval center called the Shambles.

First I got on a double-decker red bus tourist bus, which drives all around the town, giving a commentary. That's a cool way to get oriented because you are up high enough to see everything.

Then I walked over to York Minster (great cathedral) and wandered around there for awhile. It's English Perpendicular Gothic style, and very high inside.

I climbed some red brick steps up onto the old city walls and walked along the top for awhile, keeping close track of my time, as this was just a stop en route for the day.

Then it was time to hike back to the train station. That all took 3 hours, and I was hoofing it!

Back on the train to Newcastle, the furthest NE town in England.

I walked a few blocks in the misty rain to pick up my EuropeCar Rental. I was worried about driving stick shift on the wrong side of the road in 5:00 city traffic, but I did fine. After I got out in the country, I pulled over into the lay-by and hooked up the GPS. It was very comforting when the GPS I brought from America recognized the street address in the village of Haltwhistle!

I love the northern English countrside! It's more wide open, but still green and rolling. The occasional manor houses dot the hillsides and there are lots of sheep and a few horses.

The manor house above is my B&B. I hope I can come back here someday. Haltwhistle claims to be the center of England, and the tiny village is so quaint and lost in time. Tomorrow I want to walk along Hadrian's Wall.