Day 4 - Greenhead to Carlisle

I finally knew why I felt so exhausted and a bit unwell.....oh....1.5 days to go.

It was such a coincidence to meet my Argentine 'Amigo' Ariel at the same B&B. After settling down at the Four Wynds B&B and my computer got connected with Wifi, a FaceBook chat message popped up. It was Ariel. He started his trek from Bowness one day after I started mine in Newcastle. We though that we would meet somewhere along the Wall while we were walking. But we did not imagine that we did meet up here. After a comfy shower, we met in the sitting room and had an one-hour chat.

The B&B owner Nigel was very kind and generous as Ariel’s stomach was not very well and could not have a big breakfast like I did. We spent some times beside the dining table to finish breakfast with a nice English morning tea.

It was nice to meet an overseas friend in a foreign country. Ariel walked to the East and I walked to the West. Adiós! Let’s start our trek.

around 45 minutes after leaving the Four Wynds, here's the Poltross Burn Milecastle 48.

Bridge over Poltross Burn

Today's trek was not very exciting after Birdoswald. But before that, accident happened and it was a kind of torture!!

 

After crossed the railway which is just out of Milecastle 48, I believed that I did follow the Wall trail! As the maps in Henry Stedman’s guide do not cover a larger area like Ordinance Survey maps do, I did not know where I was and I was still ‘following’ the farmland. But finally I got lost.

 

When I reached locked gate of a cattle grid, I met a father and his daughter who also lost their way and invited me to join them to trace the original trail. As they had an Ordinance Survey map and seemed to be the experienced walkers, so I followed them. We walked across an abundant farmland and attempted to cross the river (should be the River Irthing). Walker Daddy tried and crossed the river successfully and Walker Daughter took off her boots and threw them to the opposite shore (but failed and boots were in the shallow water!!). I was such a chicken-chic worrying about my seem-to-be-alright boots (not completely the best hiking boots but definately water-proof). Well, it was better to return to the path and tried again. So, I just bided farewell to them and continued my way.

As followed my own sense, I went uphill as I though the trail should be away from the railway. Okay, went UPHILL.

However, I got lost in the hilly farms again. What should I do? I totally lost bearings! A pitiful idiot tragically spent extra 1 hour going uphill and downhill in the lost farmland which was full of animal waste. Ahhhhhhh......the blisters under my poor feet were calling...What should I do?

Okay, calm down.

I walked to a farm house and pressed the door bell. A handsome young man answered the door and was confessed at the very beginning. He however quickly found out that an idiot got lost in his giant farm. Well, he was very kind to guide me the way back to the Wall and waved me goodbye!

Willowford Farm in which a Roman inscription on plaque on barn wall

 

Original Roman Wall and the bridge foundation - it would be terrific if the bridge were still there!

After the extra walk, it was good to back to the Wall trail. About 15 minutes later, the splendid Roman bridge foundation occured and the trek turned to the other English Heritage site, Birdoswald. I did not visit the site but just enjoyed a bottle of Ginger Beer at the little cafe and to get the 5th stamp!

There is still a fairly long wall after Birdoswald but after leaving a small section of woodland, only several Turrets and bits of wall. The only interesting Roman site is the Pike Hill Signal Tower. It is only signal tower on the Wall and it was a pre-Hadrian construction.

Time to hurry up to Carlisle. I felt tired now and it was already 3pm.

Modern Willowford / Irthing Bridge

Got the 5th stamp at Birdoswald and took a short break there. Birdoswald was a Roman name 'Banna' means 'Spur' and the fort sits on a spur about the River Irthing.

Pike Hill Signal Tower. It was already 3pm....still half way to go '.'

Wow, entering the 'Great Border City' Carlisle at 18:15 but I totally missed the 6th stamp point, the Sands Sports Centre. Glad to settle down at the decent B&B and started my peaceful night.

Market Cross at the City centre