Walking Hadrian's Wall, Hexham to Old Repeater Station

Our trip to the UK started with some daydreaming about hiking the full length of Hadrian's Wall. While we eventually expanded our trip to incorporate other parts of England and Scotland, we still wanted to get a taste of what walking a length of the wall was like. We decided to walk back from Hexham to Old Repeater Station. It was a very leisurely seven miles through fields tucked into the rolling hills of Northumberland.

A stile, marked with the National Trail's acorn, so we know we're on the right path.

Northumberland reminded us of Kentucky.

Black Carts Turret.

Cows relieving their itches on the Wall.

Sky and earth keep unfolding before us.

We both took a fancy to Low Teppermoor Farm.  The snug fields and mild cattle were charming. 

Jon consults the Ordnance Survey map to get our bearings.  Ordnance Survey maps are awesome, especially the Explorer series, designed for outdoor enthusiasts.  These maps have a scale of 2 1/2 inches to 1 mile, which affords an incredible amount of detail.  These maps make note of every little thing that can possibly be noted, from farms and lakes down to sheepfolds, cairns, and rock piles.  I kid you not.

Near Brocolita Roman Fort is the Mithraeum, dedicated to the Persian god Mithras, where Roman soldiers participated in the Mythraic Mysteries.  What we saw was a re-creation of the original site, which had been excavated and moved to the Museum of Antiquities in Newcastle in 1950.

Modern day offerings to the god on the altar, including a golf ball.

The headless statue of one of Mithras' twin torchbearers.

Not that much farther to Sewingshields on the Wall, and to roast lamb and vegetables made by Les at Old Repeater Station.

More cows. I never thought I would walk past a bull without some kind of barrier between the two of us.  He just chewed his cud and barely gave us a glance as we walked past.