Wee Wall Walk Day 3: Brampton to Gilsland

 


A wonderful day’s walking over undulating pastureland climbing gradually as we moved further away from the coast. Beautifully sunny with just enough breeze to stop us getting too warm (apologies if it’s been raining in Shirley!). Great views behind us of the Lakeland fells, to our right of the North Pennines and to our left of the Border country. 

 

Before leaving Brampton we visited the Parish Church where we saw the Burne Jones windows which, unlike Birmingham Cathedral, are not obscured by scaffolding. Then a 3 mile walk along paths that are clearly not used very often before rejoining the wall path where we left it in Newtown. 

 

After about 5 miles we finally caught a glimpse of some of the wall! Up till now the far western sections had been turf walls which had disappeared, then sections where stones from the wall had been repurposed to build houses, barns, churches and even Lanercost Priory (re-use and recycle clearly has a long pedigree!). The wall became more evident over the next 4 or 5 miles as we approached Birdoswald Fort with clear remains of milecastles and turrets (see header photo).

 

We stopped to look around the Fort, then descended to cross the River Irthing and find a very comfortable looking B&B in Gilsland. 13-14 miles altogether; knees and ankles bearing up well!

 

Photos today: window in Brampton Church; view from Brampton in the sunshine; one of many Belgian sports cars on a tour of Scotland rally (didn’t have the heart to tell them they weren’t in Scotland); view of the Lakeland Fells and the wall alongside the path.























Comments

  1. GardenqueenSeptember 22, 2023 at 1:17 PM

    Whilst swimming in the outdoor pool at the gym this morning I looked up and saw a cloud formation that looked like The Angel of the North and thought of you both. Keep smiling.

    ReplyDelete

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