Hadrian’s Wall Path: Day 7

Gilsland > The Sill, 9.8m

What a great day it turned out to be! A blustery day with lots of menacing clouds but the only rain fell on distant hills and I enjoyed a beautiful, hilly walk.

*Not only* *significant elevation bits today but there were dozens of ladder stiles!*

*Vallum – earthen ramparts built south of the Wall demarcating the military zone*

*A couple of good climbs already but now into the Crags, aka ups & downs*

*A nice flat bit after some challenging hills. 5 miles in and time for lunch*

*And popped out of the forest to find civilization again in the form of several farmsteads*

*And another old quarry* *now a park*
*and rest area*

*Winshields Crag – the highest point and halfway mark of the HWP, but near the end of my day, just 1.2 miles to go.*

*All of a sudden the Wall has sprouted a grassy toupee! Why just here?*

*The Sill, back to where I started my short walk last Monday and where I leave the path now to find my accommodation*

I finished the day around 2pm and so waited in the beautiful Visitor Center’s cafe for a couple of hours with a huge pot of tea and free WiFi to pass the time until reception opens. I’m staying in the attached Youth Hostel for 2 nights as I’m having a day off tomorrow to visit Vindolanda, the nearby premier Roman fort museum/archeological dig which takes about 4 hours to see it all.