August 25. Newcastle, England
Vicki, my travel companion, and I had the full English breakfast of tea, fried egg, potato triangle, 2 sausages, 1 bacon, mushroom and broiled tomato. Plus I had a bow of Wheatbix cereal.
Took to Metro to South Shields. The walk from the metro stop to the Aerbia Roman Fort Museum made me want to come and stay a week in a charming B&B here on the coast. It's a an old village leading out to a nice beach, a walk through a pedestrian area, old buildings and the town hall of 1850.

This fort was at one time held by Arabs, thus the name. Interesting museum and excavations. An entry gate has been reconstructed. Then on to Wallsend Museum, on a passenger ferry across the Tyne River.
At the mouth of the river is the huge ruin of a priory and fort guarding the entrance.

Wallsend has a tower built to overlook the partially excavated Roman fort, so we get an idea of the layout of barracks, granaries, officer headquarters and home of commanding officer, stronghold for the money and religious area. All Roman forts follow this same pattern.

August 26, Tuesday, we finally are on the trail, a converted railway nicely paved, leading through the heart of Newcastle, along the river Tyne, under seven bridges and into the country side. It's an easy 15-mile walk to the farm of Heddon-on-the-Wall.