Combining several passions of mine, including ancient Roman history, British culture, and long treks, the Hadrian’s Wall Path runs 84 miles across northern England. Begun during the reign of emperor Hadrian (117-138), the wall and its many turrets and forts were constructed to intimidate native British tribes who resisted the “civilizing” force of the Roman empire. The remains of the physical wall and its parallel trail became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, and in 2019 I couldn’t resist its twists and turns, ascents and descents over six glorious days of hiking and exploring.
This was the first, relatively intact portion of the wall I encountered after walking from the city of Newscastle, and, if it’s not obvious, I felt like a kid again. Thank you to Reverend Colin Barrick of the Heddon Methodist Church for taking this photo.
One of several pubs I stayed at during the course of the hike. My room was the one with the window just above the word “Black” in the sign. With the bar just downstairs, I didn’t get much sleep that night.
The ruins of a granary at the Housesteads Roman Fort
The amazing Corbridge Lion sculpture at the Corbridge Roman site museum
Wild grass growing on the ancient wall
Looking back over the miles I had walked that day
A little wooden hut on the western coast greeted me as I finished the trail
Carlos Sousa 