Heavenfield to Halton Shields

The whole of today's walk from Humsheugh to Heddon-on-the-Wall is described on the relevant page of our walk along the Hadrian's Wall Path. Here I just summarise the day, and copy the text for the part of the walk where St Oswald's Way coincides with the Hadrian's Wall Path. This was our penultimate day of walking on the Hadrian's Wall Path as well as our first on St Oswald's Way. It wasn't the most exciting of walks; virtually all of it was on a path separated by just a hedge from 'The Military Road' (the B6318) though there was a nicely cut grass walkway most of the way, and the day was dry and sometimes sunny.

Fairly early in the day we reached Heavenfield (marked as "Heavenfields" on the OS map, at NY937697), where the Battle of Heavenfield was fought in about 634, between Oswald's Northumbrian army and Cadwallon's Welsh one. The battle resulted in a decisive Northumbrian victory and thus to Oswald's rise to fame and sainthood. The site is marked by a wooden cross and an information board about St Oswald's Way, which starts here. We visited St Oswald's Church, with its exhibition about St Oswald.

Hadrian's Wall Path is a popular route and to avoid wear on a narrow strip of the path, walkers are encouraged to walk two abreast. I can understand the logic behind this, though I'm not sure it works; there is a danger that you'd just get two worn strips with a less walked bit in the middle - and it was sometimes just not possible to walk side by side safely without risking a sprained ankle on the uneven surface to the side of the main path (which, to be fair, is probably only like this because everyone follows the same main path...). However, when we could we walked side by side, and even when I was walking behind Richard (which is the usual way round, though very occasionally I take the lead!) I tried not to follow the same path that he was talking. So why am I talking about this here? Well, we left Heavenfield on a nicely mown path and a short distance to the east we came across the men out mowing the path. Politely, we reverted to walking one abreast so as to pass them...and proceeded to be reminded of the importance of walking two abreast by the ranger who was cutting the grass! We didn't rise to the irritation (those who know me may be surprised...) and fell into a brief conversation; we mentioned that the path appeared to be open between Linstock and Low Crosby, so we had followed the original route not the diversion shown on the website. We proceeded to be told that the original route was NOT open and that we had been trespassing. Now, given the signs we encountered on the path, how were we to know that?! You'll be thinking, perhaps rightly, that I am getting even grumpier in my old age, moaning about other walkers on the Hadrian's Wall Path the day before yesterday, and moaning about the ranger today. However, I do wish people would stop and think...

We continued on the nicely mown path alongside fields then crossed the road and walked through Stanley Plantation (where some trees have now been felled) and on to the A68 at Portgate. The A68 in this area follows the route of a major prehistoric trading route; older even than the Roman roads and wall; the route then became Dere Street, built around 50 years before Hadrian's Wall. The Romans built a massive gate, designed to control the traffic on Dere Street as it passed through Hadrian's Wal (the remains of the gate are now buried beneath the Military Road) but the name "port-gate", came from Anglo-Saxon times, when the location had regional importance as a place of barter. Back in the 21st Century, there were several other walks around, most of whom seemed to be heading to the Errington Arms for lunch [which by 2020 had become the Errington Coffee House]. What a good idea!

We passed the entrance to Halton Castle and veered to the right around the photogenic Down Hill. There were good views down to the Tyne Valley, with a National Trail sign that would have made good foreground for a photograph were it not for the fact that there were a group of other walkers sitting by it! We headed back towards the B6318 and crossed several stiles then, just before the buildings at Carr Hill, we crossed back to the north of the road. St Oswald's Way was signed over a stile to the north.