Joanna Elizabeth and I completed the walk about eight or nine years ago, walking it as close to the coast as we could at that time. Having completed that walk, we did not feel so constrained as to route choice this time around and decided to make it a bit easier on ourselves by taking a more direct route to Carlisle. This meant missing out the corner on the River Eden below Burgh-on-Sands, which we have already walked. On a day of fairly long miles any saving is gratefully accepted!
The Hadrian's Wall path from Bowness-on-Solway mainly follows the road (with a couple of optional detours) until Burgh-on-Sands, where it drops down on to the River Eden for a riverside walk. Alternatively, a cycle route takes you down to New Sandsfield to access the riverbank slightly earlier. The altitude of the walk is primarily at low level and never rising much above thirty metres (Beaumont). The weather was slightly close and clammy which worsened as the day went on. We carried supplies for lunch as well as a few snacks to keep us going.
Originally known as Fisher's Cross, the port was re-named with the opening of the Carlisle Canal. The canal which was operational from 1823, was just over eleven miles long and had eight locks along its length. There was a basin at both the Port Carlisle and City of Carlisle ends of the canal. Initially supporting trade and passenger services the canal was soon in financial difficulties and was closed before being finally drained in 1853. In 1854, a railway was opened using the canal bed for the line. Initially a horse-drawn service, later changed to steam locomotives, the railway subsequently also closed in 1932.
What followed after elevenses was a slog on the railway bedding until we reached Burgh-on-Sands. Although it was a bit of a slog there were nice views to be had over Burgh Marsh and the River Eden to Rockcliffe Marsh on the opposite bank.
The church stands on the site of an earlier church and was built harvesting stones from the Roman wall. The site was also the location of a Roman fort, Aballava, which housed some 800 soldiers. The fort is first mentioned in historical terms in the 5th C. Scattered around the local area are numerous other Roman remains including on the other side just as you enter the village, the location of Milecastle 73.
From Kirkandrews there was a nice cross-country section, very pastoral with some old trees, to reach the banks of the River Eden. Once you are on the riverside path at Grinsdale, it is an up and down, occasionally wooded section and, after the road walking, a bit challenging on the feet and legs.
On this route we stopped to speak to a group of three Geordies who were walking the Hadrian's Wall Path. It was obvious that they had never been walking before and they carried everything but the kitchen sink. We tried to convert them to using walking poles when carrying a large rucksack on hilly terrain, but I doubt we convinced them.
The path exited at the back of the McVities cake and biscuit factory. One side of the factory building was lined with huge extractors fans, filling the air with the aroma of fresh-baked ginger nut biscuits. It was delightful and really restorative to tired minds and bodies!
From the factory it is was a short walk to a bridge over the Little River Caldew and the River Caldew which split Carlisle. The western bank of the main river is part of the Cumbria Way, a long-distance, seventy-three mile route through the Lake District. It links the city of Carlisle with the town of Ulverston and is said to be a very scenic route. One for the future!
Our hotel for the next two nights was by the main railway station which was accessed going down the easter bank of the Calder. Tired and weary, all we could think about were the joys of tomorrow which was a day off.
A mixed back of a walk, the long miles of road walking prevent it being a good walk, albeit we contributed to that by route choice. We were sorry to have been prevented from accessing the river at Beaumont and hope it was a temporary measure as the riverside is a such an important element of the walk. Now for a day off after which I will complete my walk round England and Wales with the Carlisle to Gretna section.