WTWFD Stage 7: Brocolitia to Housesteads

After more than a month waiting for a break in the weather, yesterday seemed like the perfect day to continue our Walking the Wall for Daina challenge, with high cloud set to break into glorious sunshine by the afternoon. In a change from our usual practice of taking public transport, I drove to the start point of Brocolitia, soon realising why I preferred to be a passenger. After navigating horrendous roundabouts, busy motorways and dangerously fast country roads, it was a relief to reach our destination. Once there, however, I discovered that the parking cost £6, and the machine only accepted coins: no notes, no cards. Who carries 6 pound coins with them everywhere they go? It’s the sort of stress I don’t need at the start of a walk. We would have to take our chances and risk a fine, as I wasn’t prepared to drive any further in search of change! Nevertheless, I soon forgot about the stresses and strains of the journey as my sons and I returned to the trail.

Walking the high frontier

We began with a quick return visit to Brocolitia Mithraic Temple, then crossed the Military Road cautiously and continued over flagstones through the mud (which was beginning to firm up after almost a week without rain) following the vallum towards Sewingshields Farm, 3 miles west of our start point. I had been a little nervous of this section, as the guidebooks warn of suckler cattle who can be protective of their young. Our timing was perfect, however, as the cows were (presumably) being kept indoors for calving, and nowhere to be seen. We did see two newborn lambs nestled by the side of Turret 33b, their mother not far away, bleating at us to keep our distance. Views were expansive to the north and south, with dramatic landscapes abounding.

Sewingshields to Housesteads

The farm at Sewingshields commands a fine prospect to both north and south. A walled copse grows on top of what was once Grindon Milecastle, and the trail winds through delightful woodland on an elevated path above a beck. Birds were singing and there were little patches of flowers everywhere—quite the spring idyll! We continued the two miles to Housesteads along good surviving sections of Wall, with the trail rising to a height of 1070ft atop Sewingshields Crags. It then went through several leg-aching undulations before arriving at the walls of Vercovicium Roman fort.

Vercovicium Fort at Housesteads

All of the guidebooks will tell you that this is a fort not to be missed! The entrance fee is quite steep (almost £20 at the time of writing for one adult and two children), but I wouldn’t have wanted to miss the chance to see the most extensive surviving remains of a Roman fort situated along the Wall, and the best preserved example of a Roman latrine in Britain! The only ‘down’ side was the slopes upon which the fort was situated, which my tired legs found hard to navigate. Evidently the soldiers stationed here were made of sterner stuff! In addition to the latrine, with its fascinating drainage system, the site contains examples of a granary, Praetorium (commanding officer’s house), barracks and hospital, as well as extensive fortifications, and a medieval Bastle (fortified farmhouse).

Almost more intriguing (to me) than the fort itself were the half-buried remains of the Vicus, or civilian settlement, which depended upon the soldiers of the garrison for its livelihood. Here would be the wives and families of the troops, the travelling entertainers, the magicians and mountebanks. One of the buildings of the Vicus is known as ‘The Murder House,’ because two bodies were found beneath the flagstoned floor, one with a knife stuck between his ribs. So many stories must lie hidden beneath this earth…

Finally, we paid a visit to the small but very interesting on-site museum, which displayed artefacts found at the site, and offered us the chance to dress up as Centurions and Celtic warriors! The trusty AD122 Bus took us back to our starting point, where I was happy to discover I had not been given a parking fine. Next time, we are taking the train!

You can find more images from the walk on the official EIF Instagram.

Stage 7: Brocolitia to Housesteads
Distance: 5.49 miles
Elevation gain: 589 ft
Time: 2 hours, 17 minutes
Total Distance: 50 miles

Thank you for supporting this journey!

As those of you who have been following this series will know, I am walking the Wall in memory of my Aunt Daina, who died from MND last April. Thank you to everyone who has donated so far. Your money will go straight to the North and West Cumbria branch of the MND Association, to help those living with MND, just as they helped Daina when she was most in need. You can visit my fundraising page at Justiving.com to find out more.

Ingrid