Day 1 - Wallsend to Heddon-on-Wall

Roger!

I've started the trek today (5th June) in a hot and sunny day. But let me 'rewind' the time to the night before.

After having dinner with my uncle and auntie in their London home, I headed to the Victoria Coach Station to take an over-night bus to Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The bus journey took 6 hours and arrived NC at 0530. Owning a nature of backpacker, sleeping on the bus is not a tough business and I can manage to sleep 4-5 hours (some of you might know that I live in the North of Hong Kong and my work place is in the South. So, sleeping on a trembling bus is a habit.

the Flying man - when you see it, it means that you are entering the city of Newcastle

Okay, first thing was to drop my 65L backpack at the first pick-up point, the Hadrian Lodge Hotel at Hadrian’s Road. I hate to say that I don't really like the underground system in Newcastle. The signage and routes seem to be very clear and easy to understand. But I spent 30 minutes traveling from the Central Station to Wallsend. Perhaps I did not get enough good sleep, I made a silly mistake that I needed to pay for. I though the Hotel is located near Wallsend, so I dropped the tube at Wallsend and believed that it might take 5 minutes to reach there. Since I updated the iPhone map application before leaving London and all downloaded maps has been erased, therefore I got lost somewhere in between the Hotel and Wallsend. Finally I went to ask the kind old man who works at the patrol station. Time flied, I spent around 1.5 hours to send my backpack to the Hotel!!

 Newcastle's Central Station at 0530

empty Central Station in the city centre

 Wallsend Station was the first check-point - Segedunum - it was too early (around 0745)，Segedunum was not yet opened, so I needed to go to the petrol station to get the first stamp.

Segedunum is the eastmost and the last part of the Hadrian's Wall, but why the Roman did not build the Wall to the shore? It was because there was the Arbeia Fort at the Tyne River and the Wall's 'final' destination was 3 miles away from Segedunum. Segedunum was built afterward.

 Starting point - Segadunum at Wallsend

Okay, back to the trek. 

I started the journey from the Segedunum (translated as 'Strong Fort) at 0815. But how could I get the first Hadrian's Wall Path Summer Passport stamp if the Segedunum opens at 10am? The patrol station is an alternative point to get the stamp if the Segedunum is closed.

Following the guide book Henry Stedman Hadrian’s Wall Path is not as good as I expected. It is very informative and easy to read. But the main problem which drives me nut is the inappropriate scale of the hand-written maps. Maybe I am too naïve to expect the drawn routes are not THAT long and estimated the inaccurate walking time. Sorry Mr. Stedman. This is perhaps my own fault, not yours!

 when you see this plate, it means that the trail is correct and time to turn to the river path (check-point time: 0833)

hello, whale tail :)

 it is nothing to worry of being lost on the trail which has plenty of well-designed signages.

 finally reached the city centre, the 1st bridge, Millennium Bridge.

After 2-hour walk to reach my first rest point, Baltic the Centre for Contemporary Art, it was time to fill my stomach and recharge energy with a full English breakfast (10:15 already!). Then I spent other 3.5 hours to visit the Baltic, Sage (the Cultural Centre), St. Mary’s Church (Heritage Centre) and the Great North Museum.

A full English Breakfast (traditional breakfast plus a big glass 'Beat the Bluesli', and a large scone for tea, total £12.85) of was my main meal to recharge my dying energy after a long bus journey and 2-hour morning walk. It was too big but saved lunch and even dinner.

 the 2nd bridge - Tyne Bridge (built in 1928)

the 3rd and 4th bridges - Swing Bridge (1876) and the High Level Bridge (1849) at the back

Resuming the trek at 14:15 along the Tyne River, the midday heat made the first-day trek not easy. The last 1-hour walking was a bit tough as it was all the way uphill. I reached the Heddon-on-Wall and saw the first major piece of Wall.

the 5th bridge - Queen Elizabeth II Bridge (1981)

the 6th & 7th bridges - King Edward Bridge (1906) & Redheugh Bridge (1938)

this is the 2nd Milepost. the first one is at the East but I forgot to take photo

the 3rd Milepost at Elswick (check-point time: 1443)

the 4th Milepost at Scotswood (check-point time: 1525)

  

the whole trail covers part of the highway

 the 5th Milepost

Monument to Battle of Newborn Ford, 1640

























the first part of the Hadrian's Wall - met and chat with a family who travelled to Hong Kong recently

first / last piece of Wall in Heddon-on-Wall

The full English breakfast was still in my stomach. I, therefore, did not have dinner. The B & B I stayed today is called Tyne Valley View. It is not a posh but comfy. What made me happy that I took a hot bath! 22:30 – time to rest.