7. Chollerford to Harlow Hill

27.07.11   12 miles

A closed Tearoom and nothing to eat

I am glad that nobody can see how I was sleeping in my tent, I dressed all what I had in my backpack and also I putted on my walkingshoes and I was also sleeping with my cap. So the night was not to bad. I had for breakfast only a slide of bread and a little piece of cheese. I thought in this village is a shop but it wasn´t. The tearoom from the campground open first at 9 am and I was ready to go. I asked a hiker if he knows the next shop and he also don´t knew it. But he gave me a box with fish, 2 slide of bread, an apple and some sweets. He told me it was his last day and I can have it without a problem, he was coming from near Preston. He told me also his wife is waiting of him to give him something to do. He wanted to go from here to Steel Riggs more than 12 Miles and also with full backpack. He was a soldier and very familar with hiking and camping.  I was glad to have the food from him and we said good bye, he hiked to the west and I went to the east.  In my map I saw a sign of a tearoom some miles in my direcction. That would be a good place for a breakfast.

On the other side of the river the street goes straight uphill but the Hadrians Path is doing a long Loop. Perhaps the street is small and a lot of traffic there. Always every day the first mile is difficult for me, later I have not so much problems and this trail is going steap and long on top of the hill. On the right side of the street where I walked over a medow I saw  a little rest of the wall. Then I had to crossed the street and again I had to go steap uphill. Today it was really a heavy beginning.

 On top of the hill I passed some old trees and then the Heavenfield Battle Site:

http://www.hadrianswallnorthumberland.co.uk/places/heaven_field.htm

But nothing is to see about the Battle but it is a history feeling. I saw the sign of the Oswald´s Hill Head and the tearoom and I was so glad after this steap hike to have now a rest and a good breakfast. I was coming around the corner and the farm and tearoom was looking so nice, decoreted with flowers,I thought that is really what I like.  But then comes a big frustration

the tearoom was closed every Wednesday and it was Wednesday. What can I do, nothing, must walk further along the ditch . Where the Hadrianswall Path crossed the street to running along on the other side a young Hiker was coming. He asked how far it is to the next tearoom and he had the same frustration as he heard the tearoom is closed today. I told him go down to Chollerford, the tearoom there is now open. Now the trail is running down to the Inn "the Portgate" so I thought you can have a lunch there but I was to early beside the Inn, I had to wait 1.5 hours but I do not want it. At Portgate a great romans gate was constructed.

On the next meadow some old telegraph pole was laying beside. So I had a good seat and had a wonderful lunch with the fish in tomatoe sauce 2 slides of bread and for the desert the sweets. When I finished this delicious lunch a group of well dressed Hikers coming along the path, all well dressed in good quality outdoor creation clothes. I thought this a German Group and ask in German" You are coming from Germany?" Oh yes, and the asked me " How nice is the following hike to the west?" " You will have a nice hike and some areas really beautiful" This group has nothing to wear, well organized and a lunch is waiting somewhere next and a bus is coming later to bring the group in a hotel in wonderful white linnen and they have warm water etc...and then a fine dinner. And the hike to hear was not good enough for the well educated group. Let me see how I like the way to Newcastle from here.

The path following the street and I was coming to a big gate, it was a place of the Romans Halton Chester Fort but nothing to see. The big Gate is for the Halton Castle, I saw the roofs of the castle and a small street is running down to the castle bordered with big trees. On the other side Farmers are working on a big fieldmashine, something was wrong. At halton red House a herd of sheeps must change the meadow and it was a fast running, evvery sheep wanted to be the first.

Ahead I saw some hills it seems it was made by workers. After a look in the map I was sure it was a part of the big Vallum, the Down Hill Vallum. In the next village I found a postbox and some postcards are on the way. The path was together now with the street then I had to go to the left side and there was a foodpath beside the street. I had to change again the street to the left side. A small tank was coming with a lot of noise on the street. At a telegraph pole a puppet was hanging advertising for a country fair. On next farm there is a tearoom. I crossed the street again and at the backside of the farm is a big new tearoom, lots of cars on the parking lot. It is a tearoom de luxe. It was more for well dressed sight seeing people than for thirsty and dirty hikers. I had a nice piece of cake and enough tea. I bought something to eat for supper but it was not much what was to buy. Now I was very near Harlow Hill. Along the path children spent the teddy bears and other puppets to decorated the trail. Another small tank was driving along the street. passed the big Water reservoir, of course it was fenced,nobody can spit into the water, drinking water also for Newcastle. Harlow Hill is really on a hill and I must go up. The small church is now a barn and behind the last house is a small and nice campground. I had a shower and got a cup of tea from the nice owners. I asked also for a blancet for the night and I also got it. I decided to walk the next day into Newcastle without my backpack. I wat to finished the wall from here to wallsend in 2 days so I have to go around 12 miles and 9 miles.

The owners was helping me to find a Bed&Breakfast Hotel in Scotswood and I called the baggage transport to bring my backpack next day to the hotel, it was only 6 pounds and I was glad to do it in that way. After Lunch it was such a nice sunset so i walked down to the Waterreservoir for some sunset pictures, as I came back it was time to sleep, it was a very comfortable night with the warm blanket.