- Start: Chollerford
- Finish: East Wallhouses
- Distance: 17.52 km
- Time: 06:35:16
We started this morning beside the lovely banks of the North Tyne,
With scenic views in both directions and a quietly fishing heron.
You may have noticed that yesterday I mentioned that Sewingshields Crag was the last big climb of the holiday. Apparently, I gave the impression that from now on it would be at most undulating, but certainly mostly downhill or flat until the end.
It quickly became apparent this morning, that I had neglected to look at the ‘detail’ of the contour lines on the OS map. Leading to an 8.5 km climb from our start at circa. 50m elevation to 270m elevation, 3 hours later. You wouldn’t believe how irritated someone can become after such a teeny tiny mistake!!
We eventually arrived at the top just before lunch, still married and still smiling 😀
It was however very apparent that we had left the high moors. The countryside was more bucolic, with wheat fields, wooded lanes and lovely little copses.
About 2/3 of the way up the climb we came across the quaint little church of St Oswald at Heavenfield.
This is the termination of the pilgrimage of St Oswald who as the first truly Christian King of Northumbria was credited by Bede (and therefore everyone else subsequently) with being a beacon in embedding Christianity in England. The church was built on the site of the pivotal battle of Heavenfield in 635 AD, (possibly eponymously named). Here Oswald raised a cross on a pagan (Roman) altar (supposedly the one now in the church)
to rally his troops to victory. They were victorious against the heathens of Mercia (though some of them were actually Christians as well, real history is never completely black and white!) and Oswald went on to make Northumbria Christian ✝️When he died in another battle 7 years later, those heathens just wouldn’t let it lie, his head was salvaged (yuk!) and buried at Durham Cathedral where many miracles were subsequently recorded.
The monks of Lindasfarne have set up a series of information boards in the tiny church, which is such an important pilgrimage centre that St Oswalds Way was established in 2007, running all the way from Lindasfarne.
Today has been a day of ‘ends’. We had the last excavated turret at Brunton, which was actually one of the better preserved of those we have seen. The doorstep with jamb is completely preserved,
and this intriguing stone in the corner of the room puzzled us. Is it a hearth, an altar??
We also had one of the last extant sections of wall at Planetrees. This was probably saved when in 1801, William Hutton beseeched Henry Tulip, a local farmer, to stop nicking the stones to build his new house.
And we had one of the last sections of vallum, the earthen work which demarcates the military zone adjacent to the wall.
We finished the day at the Robin Hood Inn,
(not sure where he comes into it, though he obviously visited the wall, enroute from Palestine to Nottingham!?!)
A lovely little hotel, we had a great meal tonight with battered black pudding with bacon and egg to start (what’s not to like!)
Followed by a beautifully rare steak, Thursday is steak night! 😀
Tomorrow is a long day, 26+ km from here to the heart of central Newcastle, we will no doubt be increasingly odd looking in our hiking gear and packs as we descend back into civilization!