Bridge over the Tyne
The Wall at Planetrees
Broomlee Lough
Day 9 Hexham to Housesteads
15.5 miles, 2,175ft of ascent
During this stage the journey arrives at the objective of Alfred Wainwright’s original 1938 Pennine Journey – Hadrian’s Wall – and three quarters of today’s walk is on, or close to, the line of the Wall.
From Hexham the route crosses the Tyne and makes its way through fields to Acomb. After a one mile stretch of road walking, the path meets the route of the Hadrian’s Wall Path (which became a National Trail in 2003) at Planetrees where there is a short section of the Wall. The journey follows the National Trail for the remainder of the day. Just off the route there are many opportunities to explore different features along the Wall. Just below Chollerford Bridge are the remains of the bridge built by the Romans to their fort just across the river at Chesters and after rounding Limestone Corner there is Brocolitia Roman Fort and the nearby Mithraic Temple. The path continues along Sewing Shields Crags, below which nestles Broomlee Lough, before arriving at the superb remains of Housesteads Roman Fort.
