Day 5: Housesteads to Once Brewed

This day has been an especially nice day. The weather was cool but beautiful, and my walk was shorter than usual.

The day started at the Roman fort at Housesteads. It was easily visible in the distance as I approached it, and pretty striking against the blue sky. This is a wonderfully well-preserved fort, with nearly every aspect of the little soldiers' village within the fort easily discernible.

Beyond the fort lies the most beautiful scenery yet! The Wall follows the ridge line of the hills and crags, and the view from the top is magnificent. In this part of the Path, there are actually two trails -- one at the top right along the Wall which follows the undulations of the land via rock steps, and another a little lower, which isn't as steep going either up or down but is pretty muddy in places.

My stop for the day is in the town of Once Brewed. Legend has it that when a general stayed at an inn here in the mid-1700's, he found the beer to be so awful that he ordered it to be brewed again. This legend explains the name of the town, as well as the name of the inn: Twice Brewed.

While here, I meet an American woman who is 10 years older than me who is an extremely experienced backpacker. She is the first lone woman I meet on the trail, and she is hiking it in the direction opposite to me. She tells me that the piece she just walked -- the piece I will walk tomorrow -- is one of the toughest she has encountered! As I finish my supper and my pint, I start reading up on what to expect for the tough day ahead...