Against our better judgement, we started Stage 2 around 5.00pm on what had been an ominously showery day. The short walk from Hadrian Road to Segedunum was along the main road but there we joined Hadrian’s Cycleway, a traffic free path with wildflowers on both sides. There are remains of the Roman wall next to the track. True, it was a little way from the river but it was slightly elevated with good views from time to time. There were plenty of cyclists.
After a couple of miles the path split and we chose the left hand fork, rightly guessing that it would lead to the riverside walk we knew existed. Then the rains came. Briefly there was sunshine with the showers, and even a rainbow, but then the skies darkened and the rain got heavier and heavier and…
Nevertheless, the beauty of the path, through Walker, was a revelation. The Tyne is wide at this point and there was no traffic on the river tonight, just the occasional fisherman on the bank. The Gateshead side is predominantly green too so, despite being just 3 or 4 miles from Newcastle city centre, it feels almost rural. However, the freguent signs warning that the shore was contaminated with tar reminded us that it hadn’t always been like this.
St Peter’s Basin was a big surpise – a mini Monaco! Executive housing, lots of boats in the marina, some quite large. Locally it’s said that it’s a place where the area’s more successful bad lads have set up home and a wag had changed the ‘p’ in Ropery Lane to ’bb’ and crossed the initial ‘C’ off Chandlers’ Quay.
As the rain intensified, the bistro pub is where we decided to end stage 2 and dry out.
Flora and Fauna Heard plenty of birds but saw only a couple of cormorants through rain-spattered specs. All sorts of interesting wildflowers along the cycleway, presumably seeded by the council, included chicory and marjoram. Mainly native planting alongside the riverside walk.
Transport at both ends Metro from Walkergate to Hadrian Road; the Q2 electric bus from St Peter’s Basin to Haymarket and then, to lessen the chances of pnuemonia, a cab home. Walk to a hot shower.
Tags: hadrian, roman remains
