Hadrian’s Wall Day 4

Hadrian’s Wall Day 4 was our last day and to be done on bikes. They had been left in the hotel storage room. All good until Blogs discovered he had a puncture. Seems to have been caused by an incorrectly inserted tube, rather than a thorn (the English term for a prickle). That was good news because it meant we didn’t need to find a thorn in the tyre.

We didn’t get far on the trip because of a compulsory stop at an ancient Roman Fort – one of many along the way. It was a pretty good fort and we spent about an hour there. It gets to the point, though, that one’s imagination gets stretched trying to envisage life in those ancient times for an ordinary chap such as oneself …. The baths were the best, with their hot dry room, their hot wet room, their cold plunge pool and all the rest.

Back on the bikes then got the rest of the 60 km journey to Wallsend. But first a grunt up the hill. After that the trail was largely downstream beside the Tyne River and alongside the railway track. Only a few hills.

Not much sighting of the wall now. Mostly the path wended its way through parkland with people walking their dogs or their bubbas. The occasional bike bunch overtook us, but they weren’t exactly ‘smacking it out’. 

Eventually the park-like path and bucolic countryside turned into the more industrial landscape of the lower Tyne valley, as one would expect. We cycled past Newcastle, through a multitude of cafes on our left and past the seven or so bridges over the Tyne on our right.

The ride ended at the car park of yet another Roman ruin at Wallsend, where DJ made the connection between the name of the town and the end of the construction that the Emperor Hadrian had ordered all those centuries ago. Wall’s End.

After handing in the bikes and thanking Mike, we hauled our suitcases to the Wallsend local train station for a trip back into Newcastle for our final night with the Blanchs.

Of note in the train station was the translation of all the warning signs and helpful information into Latin. Quite quirky and very cute. Well done!