Christmas Day

I've already told you I'm a bit of a grinch when it comes to Christmas, but I love the fact that while people are kept indoors by 'family' obligations, I can get out for a walk.

We set off from home to the sound of church bells ringing and headed through the village of Gilsland and turned up towards Birdoswald, a nice circular walk of about 4 miles.

Birdoswald

The road through the village had been well gritted so walking was easy but once we turned onto the B6318 heading up towards the Hill the going wasn't so easy.

We saw the tracks of roe deer in the snow, there are a good number around and they can often be seen early in the morning, heading down to the River Irthing to drink.

One of the bucks had been knocked down, someone had taken the antlers but the carcass was left,

crows, foxes and badgers will probably share what's left.

It was a cold, foggy day and there was very little traffic on the roads so we were able to walk on the tyre tracks with relative ease.

From this road you can look over towards Willowford Farm B&B and follow the line of Hadrian's Wall as it goes from Gilsland to Birdoswald via Willowford Bridge.

Got to Kiln Hill Farm and turned down towards Birdoswald, Eric from Slack House Farm (home of Birdoswald Cheese) snow ploughs this road, a great service and one I much appreciate, it's a steep hill with sharp bends so would be dangerous otherwise.

The buildings of Birdoswald Visitor Centre were just visible though the mist, it's closed now for winter like many of the centres.

Of course Hadrian's Wall itself is 'open' all year, with a lovely stretch of Hadrian's Wall at Birdoswald, easily seen from the road and, one of the most accessible for anyone with a disability.

Hadrian's Wall at Birdoswald, view west

On a clear day you can look east towards Walltown, but that wasn't visible on Christmas Day, the Wall just disappeared into the mists.

Hadrian's wall at Birdoswald

Michael's sheep were on the track down to Harrow Scar, he'd been in with hay for them to feed on, so they weren't the least bit interested in us, as we passed by them.

Down the steep track to Willowford Bridge, looking at the various animal tracks in the snow and  wishing I'd taken my tracks ID book with me, although it was probably a bit too cold to stand around flicking through a book!

The River Irthing is always beautiful, some lovely mature trees down in this dip, I'd like a good hoar frost to coat the trees, but still took lots of photographs of them in the snow.

Willowford Bridge

Willowford Trees

Up the stone steps past the blue tarpaulins, put there to keep the lime mortar repairs to Hadrian's Wall dry.
English Heritage have a policy to use the same amterials that the Roman builders used and spent considerable time getting the exact same 'recipe' for the mortar.
Apparently lime mortar takes longer to set, although leaving the tarps on for months on end seems a bit excessive.
Past Willowford Farm B and B which can truely claim to be right on Hadrian's Wall, along the track and back into Gilsland.
We saw just one other couple in all the time we were out and they were visiting from Japan, brave souls.
Catch you later.