Hadrian's Wall and Housesteads Fort

Hadrian's Wall

Hadrian's Wall was originally planned to be 76 Roman miles long (about 111km) from Newcastle to Bowness-on-Solway to the north of Stanegate. It was later extended to 80 Roman miles (120km) to Wallsend.

Built in sections, not from one end to the other, it was later decided that the wall would have forts included.

© Joe Cornish

Housesteads Fort

The Fort was built on a steep, windswept slope. The main source of water for the fort was a small stream, the Knag burn, running down a valley a hundred metres east of the fort. The barrack blocks are arranged lengthways along the slope. There are many areas and sections to see at the Fort.

Milecastle 37

Placed astride a narrow nick in the ridge top which allowed some acccess to the north, Milecastle 37 is now in part obscured by the nineteeth-century excavation spoil heaps. The Milecastles were the earliest phase of building the Wall, acting as 'rest-stops' for soldiers and travellers.

Sycamore Gap

Sycamore Gap, famous for its scene-stealing moment in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves starring Kevin Costner, is a beautiful area of Hadrian's Wall. The Wall surrounding the gap shows it was repaired with lime mortar and the construction deposits seasled pottery datable to the later second century.

© Ken, Taking the Pic

Cawfield Crags

Just beyond Milecastle 41, Bogle Hole, then Whin Sill the remains of another post-medieval farmhouse and from here Hadrian's Wall stretches along the top of Cawfields Crags for over 1 mile (1.5km) culminating Milecastle 42, the first one along the wall to be properly excavated by John Clayton in 1852.

© Taking the pic