Just east of the point where the A68 crosses the line of Hadrian's Wall, at Portgate, the Romans had a gateway through the frontier for Dere Street, the great road running north from York into Scotland. Today the A68 follows much the same course, and the wall and its vallum run east and west across the fields here, sometimes visible as a bank or a ditch, sometimes buried under the Military Road. A little to the east, the fort of Halton Chesters, known to the Romans as Onnum, lies under the fields, and like the rest of the frontier, this stretch is part of the UNESCO Frontiers of the Roman Empire.
The countryside here is the rolling heart of Northumberland, with farmland, hedges, woods and scattered stone farms, and big skies that change from sun to rain in minutes. A short ride south, Aydon Castle is a remarkably well-preserved fortified manor house from the late thirteenth century, built for a wealthy merchant and fortified against the raids that plagued the border for centuries. Corbridge, nearby, has a Roman town site, once a supply base for the wall, with granaries, temples and a museum full of finds.
The riding is excellent, with the Military Road heading west along the wall, fast and rolling, with crests, dips and long straights. Heading north on the A68, the road dips and climbs over the moors toward the Scottish border at Carter Bar, with long, straight sections that rise and fall like a roller coaster, popular with riders. Watch for hidden dips, which can hide oncoming traffic, and for sheep, which wander freely. The weather can be cold, wet and windy, even in summer.
Corbridge, five kilometres away, is a pretty village with a few pubs, cafés and shops, and Hexham, about nine kilometres off, is a market town with fuel and supermarkets. Try a Northumbrian stotty cake, a flat, chewy bread roll filled with ham or bacon, or a plate of fish and chips. The local pubs serve real ales from small breweries, and a pint by the fire is the perfect end to a day on the wall.