Sewingshields Crag: Hadrian's Wall

Travelling west to east the last of the high crags is Sewingshields Crag.
Not easy to photograph and get the scale right, it looks like a gentle incline but it's deceptive.
Early in the morning mists rise off Broomlee Lough to the north of Hadrian's Wall drifting lazily across the peak of Sewingshields, sometime completely blocking it from view.

On the morning these photographs were taken it was a gentle wisp of mist that went as quickly as it arrived.

The stile crossing Hadrian's Wall takes you onto the Pennine Way and up into the Wark Forest.

From East to West as you come down from Sewingshields Crag you get lovely views along the line of the Crags, it reminds me of a sleeping dragon, with spines and Winshield Crag is the head, fanciful I know.

The view west from Kings Hill, see the sheep in a line along the bottom of the slope.

The land around the Wall is all lumps and bumps, who knows what history lies beneath them, I often check the mole hills hoping for a sliver of pottery but have never been lucky enough to find anything.

The June sunrise catchess the undulations of the Hadrian's Wall landscape.

On this section of the Wall it would appear to be a single skin but with the side light you can see the foundation area of the original Wall.

Once the Roman's left the Wall was seen as a good supply of dressed stone for local buildings and field walls.

As you pass Sewingshields Farm take notice of the exquisite stone building that was the outdoor privy.

As I said in the opening passage it's difficult to portray just how high this bit of land is so I bring you a shot to the south with views across the lower lying land with the Military Road and Vallum below.

View south from Kings Hill on Hadrian's Wall

I had my alarm set this morning, hoping to get out for a sunrise but we still have the gale force winds and sleet so I shall have to wait a while longer to bring you up to the minute photographs.

Please click on the pictures if you'd like to see them at a larger size

all pictures on this Blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.

Hadrian's Wall : Winshields Crag part 2

I promised yesterday that I'd upload the photographs looking east, and here they are.
It's worth mentioning that you are walking through fields on this bit of the Hadrian's Wall Path and soon there will be lots of lambs. If you have your dog with you, please, keep it on a lead.

The view east from the highest point on Hadrian's Wall, Winshields Crag

The just mist wasn't clearing, but in the sunshine it was beautiful, larks singing and a hawk circling above my head.

Walkers come out of the mist

A couple who had walked from Housesteads appeared through the mist, they stopped to take off their coats it was so warm. They are walking the Pennine Way in segments, this path has a dual purpose, both Hadrian's Wall Path and part of the Pennine Way.

From Winshields Crag to Highshields Crag

Two high parts of the Hadrian's Wall Path and vastly different weather conditions, sort of sums up how unpredictable this part of Northumberland is.

Always wear clothing in layers so you're always prepared.

Coming to Steel Rigg with the Bradley Farm ewe's waiting for their lambs to arrive.

And back to Steel Rigg

Met a man called John Miles in the car park, he wrote a book about birdwatching in Dumfries and Galloway, the Solway bits of  Hadrian's Wall.

He just said he'd written a book and was now doing another with updates, good old Google gave me the information.

It's currently out of print but I shall track a copy down!

Good job he didn't mention what it was about when we met or he'd still be there  answering my questions :)

You just never know who you're going to meet.

If you double click the pictures you can view them at a larger size.

All photographs on this blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.