Hadrians Wall Path 2: Chollerford to Heddon on the Wall

Yes, I know I'm supposed to be walking east to west, so this should be Heddon to Chollerford.  Let me explain.  I set off on the AD122 bus bright and early.  When we arrived at Heddon I waited for the bus to stop so that I could get off.  Bad move: you have to ring the bell I realised as the bus sailed on out of the village.  What to do?  Stay on the bus and walk from Chollerford was the answer, but then it started to rain. 

Now, much as I quietly smile at walkers in all th right gear, I do accept that you must be properly equipped to go walking - and I didn't have a waterproof of any kind with me.  Give up on the day?  That seemed a waste of a bus ticket, plus the embarrassment of explaining to friends, so I decided on a middle course.  I stayed on the bus to Hexham and then went in search of the cheapest waterproof I could find.  Suffice it to say that I arrived at Chollerford at midday with a £2 emergency rain poncho from Edinburgh Woollen Mills and the rest of the day there was bright sunshine.  I had six hours to get back to Heddon for the last AD122 bus.

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed the walk.  Out of Chollerford I walked along a lane under a gorgeous canopy of green and then through woodland and fields past a section of wall to Heavenfield.  I felt I couldn't pause long here, but I have been before with the Northumbria Community.  So it was just a quick icecream at the Oswald Tearooms before entering what was probably the nicest part of the walk.

The military road and a ditch (vallum?) were to the right and the path followed the field edge with truly magnificent views over the Borders.  I hummed 'Jerusalem' to myself and even croaked half a verse out loud until I spotted people coming the other way.  Truly a green and pleasant land.  I won't attempt to describe the walk in detail, in my mind now it is impressions of green, sun, gentle breeze, sheep and fleece attached to every gorse bush (I would have stopped to collect for felting but didn't have time or bag).  There were stiles, waving fields of wheat and barley, wild flowers including white campion, skylarks galore singing their hearts out.  The path was clearly marked and it was good to greet other walkers.  I think I was in company of Americans, Dutch and Germans as well as locals.

I reached the Robin Hood pub, stopped for my sandwiches and stamped my wall passport.  And then the time trial began.  I had two hours to get to the bus.  I made it just in time, having squelched through the muddier sections of the walk and with a flapping boot sole that had become detached in a particularly gooey bit.

So that's another 15 mile section under my belt, but it will be a new pair of walking boots for the next section!