The North Tyne comes down from the Kielder hills and the empty moorland of the border, and at Chollerford it passes beneath an old stone bridge on its way to meet the South Tyne near Hexham. Just west of the bridge, the Wall strides away uphill from Chesters fort, and this stretch, with the Wall and the vallum running together across farmland and woods, is part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage site.
Chesters, the Roman Cilurnum, is one of the most enjoyable sites on the Wall. It was a cavalry fort, guarding the crossing of the North Tyne, and its remains include the headquarters building with a strongroom beneath it, barracks, the commander's house and a bathhouse down by the river, one of the best preserved in Britain, with niches in the changing room walls that may have held clothes. Across the river, on the east bank, the massive abutment of the Roman bridge still stands. The site was preserved and excavated by John Clayton, a nineteenth-century Newcastle town clerk who bought up large stretches of the Wall to protect them, and the small Clayton Museum displays his collection of altars and inscriptions.
Just east of the river, Brunton Turret is one of the best-preserved turrets on the Wall, standing to an impressive height, with a section of the broad wall joining a narrower one, evidence of changes in plan during construction.
The riding here is lovely. The Military Road crosses the North Tyne at Chollerford and continues west towards the crags, while the roads north up the North Tyne valley towards Bellingham and Kielder are quiet and scenic, through woods, farmland and moorland. Kielder Water, the largest reservoir in England, and the vast Kielder Forest offer remote, winding roads with very little traffic. Dark sky enthusiasts come here for some of the best stargazing in Europe.
Hexham, about eight kilometres away, has fuel, shops and restaurants. Acomb, a small village nearby, has a pub. Chollerford has a hotel and a café. The North Tyne is a famous salmon river, and you may see anglers casting from the banks as you cross the bridge.