Our fifth day going east from Bowness-on-Solway took us from Lanercost Priory to Gilsland, the county line between Cumbria and Northumberland.

It felt a bit like the real wall walk started as we headed east from Lanercost. Before that it was a lovely walk through English countryside. We finally got to see Hadrian’s wall, not just stones from the wall used in other buildings. That is because we were moving into  less populated, more rugged terrain: Fewer buildings that needed stone (like the Priory) and harder to take the stones far.

Path, wall reamins and road running arrow straight.

Stile built into a stone wall.

Kissing gate.

Wooden stile.

Straight path forward.

Pedestrian bridge over the Irthing River at Willowford.

Remains of the Roman abutment at Willowford, the river shifted away from the bridge over the past 1500 or so years.

Looking back to the blue sky.

Looking forward to stormy skies.