Friday, 1st May 2009

 

Walk: Walltown Quarry to Housesteads Information Centre
Start Point: Walltown Quarry car park Grid Ref: NY 668 659
Distance: 9 miles Ascent: 2,640 feet
Weather: Rain for about half of the walk
Accompanied by:

Marie

Comments: We left the car at Housesteads NT car park and caught the 10.29am bus to Walltown Quarry car park, arriving just after 11am. We kept to the path nearest the wall which meant that there were many 'ups and downs' along the way. Much of the route was visible ahead of us and walking in a westerly direction certainly gave the best views and meant that the wind and rain were behind us instead of in our faces. Most of the route was easy underfoot with a couple of steep sections which were stepped. Fortuntaely the rain had stopped before we finished the walk so we had dried off by the time we got back to the car.

 

Scroll down to see photos of the walk

Leaving the car park we climb to the right of the cliffs . . .

 

and pass a bench that reminds us where we are

 

Our first view of the wall . . .

 

which is quite substantial at this point . . .

 

but as we travel further along . . .

 

it is not in such a good state of repair

 

The sheep decide that the grass is greener on the other side

 

The information boards are appropriately placed . . .

 

to let us know what we are seeing

 

Walltown Crags

 

The first of the many descents and ascents . . .

 

and looking back to the same gap

 

Looking ahead we have a good view of our route

 

A major section of the wall has recently been repaired . . .

 

I wonder if it will last as long as the original wall?

 

Aeisca Roman Fort . . .

 

where some of the structure . . .

 

can be identified

 

Continuing along the path . . .

 

we soon reach Cawfields Quarry . . .

 

where there is another car park . . .

 

and lots of information

 

The information board makes good reading . . .

 

as we explore the next milecastle

 

The wall zig-zags on . . .

 

and we take the opportunity to get a 'bird's eye view' of the wall

 

The bend in the wall shows the interesting structure as it climbs the incline . . .

 

before stretching away ahead of us

 

Caw Gap turret . . .

 

with its own information board

 

Caw Gap

 

We are surprised to find a trig point on Windshields Crags

 

Milecastle 39 has its own . . .

 

mode of identification

 

I wonder why grass grows on the wall at this point?

 

One more gap to navigate

 

Moving away from the wall we find a grassy path . . .

 

before passing one more milecastle - with the remnants of an arch

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