Leg 1: Segedunum Roman Fort (Wallsend) to Walker Riverside (and back!)
(Marley pictured at the start of the Hadrian’s Wall Path, Segedunum Wallsend)
A Brutal Alarm and a Very Early Start
Saturday 4 July 2026, 03:30. The alarm goes off. It’s painful — brutally so — especially on a Saturday. But after a cuppa and a very early breakfast, the kit is packed, the car is loaded, and we’re about to begin one of the UK’s best‑known national trails: the Hadrian’s Wall Path. Eighty‑four miles (135km) stretching from Wallsend in Newcastle‑upon‑Tyne to Bowness‑on‑Solway in Cumbria.
Plenty of people have walked it. Plenty of dogs have walked it too. But I’m not convinced anyone has done it quite like this.
Why We’re Doing This
If you’re reading this, you probably already know that Danny, myself, and our rather large rescue dog Marley relocated from the south east to Northumberland last year. During that time — and on previous holidays — we’d walked a few small sections of the Wall with Marley. We’d loved it. He’d loved it. He’s since become a frequent visitor to Chesters Roman Fort, trotting around with his nose in the air as if it were Marley’s Empire, not Hadrian’s.
The Big Idea and The Dawn‑Walk Solution
Following these happy encounters, Danny said she’d like to walk the entire length of Hadrian’s Wall with Marley. A lovely idea… except for one problem: the urban sections. Marley’s reactivity meant that navigating busy streets, traffic, and unpredictable encounters would be a recipe for disaster.
My reply was that if we were going to do the urban sections, we’d have to do them at dawn — and being summer, the time was nigh. And that’s how the dawn‑walk idea was born…
The Plan (and the Spreadsheet). 47 legs… Yes, Really
Transport was the next challenge. We devised an Excel spreadsheet with 47 legs (or rather, Danny did — she’s an accountant after all), including start and end points, distances, car parking, facilities, and more. Forty‑seven legs which we hoped to reduce and combine as we went. For comparison, the typical itinerary suggests walking the Wall in six days, split into six neat sections. The standard version includes accommodation stops, luggage transfers, and transport.
The Car Conundrum
Our version? Let’s just say the car conundrum — where to park and how to get back to the car after each leg with a large rescue dog and only one driver — meant that not only were we walking the Wall… we were walking it twice.
East to West: Our Chosen Direction Why We Didn’t Follow the Wind
We opted to walk the route East to West — the direction the Wall was originally built. Many walkers choose West to East because of the prevailing wind, but for us, East to West was essential. It allowed us to tackle the most urban and challenging sections first, with the help of early sunrises and the quiet calm of pre‑dawn streets, before reaching the rural stretches.
A More Inspiring Finish (If We Finish)
There was another reason too: finishing at Wallsend didn’t feel very inspiring, and the idea of the path becoming more rural as we went along was far more appealing to us — and to Marley. And having now walked through Wallsend, I’m very glad we made that decision!
But enough preamble. Time to walk.
Arriving at ASDA (in Classic North East Drizzle)
We parked up at the ASDA car park in Wallsend at 05:40, in the drizzle that felt entirely fitting for the dreary setting, and took a quick detour to Segedunum Roman Fort & Museum.
A Glimpse of Sentius Tectonicus
We sneaked a peek at the large and impressive Sentius Tectonicus — an eight‑and‑a‑half‑foot sculpture of a Roman centurion — through the railings. We planned to return another day during opening hours.
The Official Start Line (and a Reluctant Dog)
Then we made our way to the first waymarker, the official start, and took photos. Marley wasn’t keen at all (he’d felt the early start too), and it took a lot of treats to get him to pose.
A Less‑Than‑Epic Beginning
It’s a distinctly average beginning for such a famous trail, with its urban and industrial surroundings, broken glass, graffiti, and litter. Not exactly sweeping Roman vistas.
Nevertheless, we followed the very well‑signposted path, treading mostly tarmac through the less‑than‑glamorous setting, and made our way to Walker Riverside Park.
Walker Riverside Park: A Quick Break
Walker Riverside is an industrial riverside park along the River Tyne, created in the 1980s on reclaimed industrial land formerly occupied by lead and tar works. Today it’s a popular recreational spot, but we were the only ones there and it was wonderfully tranquil. It’s only 2.3 miles from the start of the Wall and took us a little under an hour.
We stopped there for a quick rest and water break and, naturally, a few photos. Then we turned around and walked back the same way.
Cycle Route 72: Marley’s Nemesis
Even though it was early on a Saturday morning, we still encountered a fair few keen cyclists on the route — Hadrian’s Wall Path runs alongside Cycle Route 72 for much of it, a well‑established cycle path — and cyclists, and the act of cycling itself, are unfortunately among Marley’s greatest fears. It was stressful and uncomfortable at times. There were a few instances of bear‑hugging Marley, pulling him out of “harm’s” (through his lens) way, covering his eyes, and presenting lots of treats.
When Marley was anxious and a bit tired on the way back (and stubbornly refusing to move!), the appearance of a rottweiler — normally something we’d be hot‑footing away from — became a surprisingly helpful motivation to get him walking again. Soon he was padding enthusiastically behind the dog (even larger than him) along the path that so many before him have trodden.
Back to ASDA: Job Done
Shortly before 8AM, as the early birds were heading out for their morning exercise, weekly shops, work, and kids’ club drop‑offs, we arrived safely back at the ASDA car park.
Relieved. Energised. (In Marley’s case: exhausted.) Job done.
We did it.
We actually did it.
And Then… We Did It Again
Despite our satisfaction and relief when we got back to the car, it was a tough leg, and we debated whether it was simply too difficult — too early, too urban, too much for Marley.
But the Wall Has a Pull…
And one week later, the alarm was sounding in the early hours again. Because once you start a journey like this, it draws you in and you plough on for some foolish reason.
Marley, Ready for Round Two
And Marley, in his own inimitable, determined way, was ready for more.
And here are some photos of Danny and I revisiting Segedunum Roman Fort & Museum a fortnight later…during opening hours! We will be bringing Marley back at a later date.
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