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Heddon on the Wall - Chollerford
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This section of the Way is just over 15 miles (24.5 Km) and follows
the line of the B 6318 known as the military road for most of the
section. This is in open countryside, never far from the side of the
road, but mainly on farmland next to the roadside hedge or wall.
Exit Heddon-on-the-Wall to the NW of the village and immediately you can see the nature of the Roman building, as the road lies in a straight line ahead. This road has been built on top of the line of the Wall and indeed of a subsequent military road built by General Wade.
The route does a short detour, this to accommodate of a much more recent road, the A69 dual carriageway.
The Way now reverts to the line of the defensive wall or between it and the Vallum. The walking surface now changes to grass, as much of this section is on fields adjacent to the ongoing B 6318. In general there is a gradual incline for all but the last part of this section but the gradient is very little.
From time to time the Way leaves one field to cross a road and then
re-enters a new field. One such field was the site of the Vidobala Fort
, no remains worth talking remain but the shape of the field gives the
impression of Roman heritage.
The route at this stage has few communities and even Harlow Hill is
little more than a hamlet.
Ahead is a change of scenery with the reservoir straddling both sides
of the road. We are now close to the Robin Hood Inn, a likely stopping
point for the first day if the walker is planning to walk the route in
6 days.
The route remains very straight except for one or two small corners
, the path often exiting onto or across the road as it makes it way
into the next field or past a farmhouse. This leads to the next major
crossing at the A 68 road at the Errington Arms. The A 68 is a road
that the Way will meet on several days later on the route, and the A 68
basically follows the line of the old Roman Road called Dere Street.
Dere Street was the Romans military road from York all the way to the
Firth of Forth close to Edinburgh, and passed by Trimontium, the end
point of this Way.
The Way again heads off in a relative straight manner the landscape
receiving some relief when the way passes through a forest section
before crossing to the north side of the B 6318.
The next point of significant change comes with the arrival at the
Heavenfield Battle site. This was a Christian verses Pagan battle on
the 7th century under the victorious control of King Oswald. Almost
immediately the landscape changes with the north Tyne valley lying
below and as the descent starts another well preserved Roman remain
appear in the form of a broad wall at Planetrees.
The Way diverts off the line of Hadrian's Wall for a short distance
before rejoining it at Brunton Turret. The Way crosses the line of the
wall which heads west to cross the river close to Chesters Fort, the
walk crossing the river at the five arched bridge at Chollerford.
Chollerford is the attractive end to this section. It lies on the
North Tyne River and is only under a mile from the Roman Fort of
Cilurnum but which is referred to as Chesters, the name of the
surrounding estate. It was John Clayton the classical scholar who lived
in Chesters who is responsibel in the 1800's for much of the work in
preserving the Roman Heritage in Northern England.
Navigate to each section of the walk using this
link or the right hand section
buttons.
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I-Net Support Latest update - October 2003
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