6.5.04 Hadrian’s Wall Walk: Heddon-on-the-Wall to Wallsend

Alongside the remains of the fort and a faux Roman bathhouse and some wall is this 100-foot space-age tower which overlooks the site and allows visitors to get a semi-aerial perspective. That perspective includes the cranes at the harbor, brightly colored and noisily doing their thing. In one fell swoop you get First Century, Nineteenth Century, and Twenty-First Century. And guess which one is the butt-ugliest?

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6.2-3.04 Hadrian’s Wall Walk: Haltwhistle & Chollerford

I did get pictures of the oddly-named Brocolita, a fenced-off area that has nothing to do with broccoli. It featured the remains of the Roman Temple of Mithras, which was a religion among the soldiers. A bull was sacrificed, and its blood spilled, to revive the earth. No wonder the cows look at me funny.

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5.29.04 Hadrian’s Wall Walk: Bowness-on-Solway

I got in around 2, and the sun was out and full and lovely and the whole place simply glistened and burst with colors. Very quiet – Sundays seem that way wherever I go in England. And no real shops anyway. I had no idea where anyone in town got groceries, but hey, this was a place where the post office was only open twice a week.

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Hadrian’s Wall Walk – May 28 – June 4, 2004

A recounting of my walking trek across England, going from  West to East, following the path of the ancient Roman Wall named  after Emperor Hadrian, who installed it to — among other reasons —  keep the so-called barbarians of Scotland out of England. How’s that going for you, guys? To follow order of trip, start…

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5.28.04 Hadrian’s Wall Walk: Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Location: Northeast England, on the Tyne River (naturally) Other Names for Area: Tyneside, Tyne-and-Wear Names For Locals: Geordies Famous Local Musicians: Sting, Andy Taylor, Martin Stephenson Population: 134,000 I’d resisted visiting Newcastle: Reports from down South (read: London) made me think it’d be all coated with coal dust and economically depressed and possibly full of…

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