... and later to be following the former Wylam Waggonway where, as a young boy, one George Stephenson took his first job keeping a neighbours cows off the line and undoubtedly where his love of linear transport systems was born and this just metres from his childhood home! Fascinating. 
We've had riverside pathways on our way out of Newcastle, stretches through rather unimpressive industrial areas, pretty parkland and finally a "bit of an exhausting schlep to the top of the hill" (guide book speak) but what we hadn't really seen before 10 miles were up and we arrived in Heddon on the Wall was any wall! It transpires that many a walker forgoes the first true section of the National Trail for this reason and starts at Heddon but we've had glorious weather again and with mostly flat, easy paths and simple navigation we purists are happy to have spent another lovely day making good progress.
Heddon on the Wall is a pretty little place perched up on a ridge above the Tyne and boasts the first (or last, depending on which direction you're heading) real sight of any Wall. Clearly now only a few feet high since much of it (before UNESCO protection) was pilfered by people building other local constructions, the 100m section of preserved Wall in Heddon is quite impressive, and includes the remains of a kiln, albeit one that post-dates the Roman era.
Tomorrow is THE BIG ONE! 15 miles following the military road, up and down and, because we're billeted in Corbridge some 8 miles off the path, requiring some nifty scheduling to be sure the Sunday bus timetable back to Heddon and returning from Chollerford via Hexham doesn't outwit us.
Oh, and in case you're wondering, the 'sizeable chunk', (again guide book speak), is pictured below.
Well built - steady on the comments please :-)
HRH figuratively toasting his toes in the kiln.
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