Hadrian’s Wall Day 7 – Newburn to Tynemouth

Our final day on the wall, Kate departed early to return home, and James had foot issues overnight which meant he couldn’t walk. I needed to move the van, so that left Caroline and Mel to make the final stretch along the banks of the Tyne through Newcastle and out to Wallsend.

James and I headed to Tynemouth in the van to pick up his car, then headed out north of Whitley Bay to find out campsite for the night. He then drove us both back into the city to Wallsend and the Roman Fort of Segedunum. It’s also alongside the old Swan Hunter shipyard and the Wallsend colliery, all of which was still active to fairly recently. But much of that has been swept aside to make way for housing and light industry. Our last glimpse at a bit of the Wall, only the footings of a section that had collapsed and been rebuild more than once, and the outline of the old fort. The museum was quite interesting and had a panoramic tower that gives a view point across the site and the old shipyards.

In the picture you can see a modern reconstruction of the wall alongside the footings, to give an idea of the style and scale that the wall is once believed to have had.

Once we were all back together again, and done with the archeology, we headed back to Tynemouth for celebratory cocktails and a fine fish supper at the new Fish Kitchen restaurant. A great way to mark and end to this part of the trip.

Mel and I continue onwards, opting to head for the north-west to pick up where we left off two years ago in Oban. The Kintyre peninsular has always appealed to me, and it’s not on the way to anywhere else so you need an excuse to go. Let’s see if we make it!