Out at the eastern end of the frontier, the Wall leaves the moors behind and runs through gentle farmland toward Newcastle, and most of what survives here is not stone but earth: the vallum, a broad ditch flanked by banks that the Romans dug just south of the Wall along almost its entire length. Between the Tyne and the Military Road, near Heddon-on-the-Wall and Rudchester, the vallum can be traced in the fields as a long hollow, and the Wall itself lies largely under the road or as low courses in the grass. Its purpose is still debated, but most scholars see it as a boundary marking the military zone, controlling who could approach the Wall.
The B6318, the Military Road, follows the line of the Wall west from Heddon, built straight over its foundations in places. It is a fast road, with long straights and sudden dips, and it is popular with bikers, so expect company on sunny weekends and watch your speed. The surrounding country is rolling farmland with woods and hedges, and the views stretch south over the Tyne valley.
Down in the valley, Wylam is the birthplace of George Stephenson, the railway pioneer, and his cottage beside the old wagonway is a National Trust property. Prudhoe has a medieval castle above the river. The Tyne here is a broad, peaceful river, and the riverside paths are popular with walkers and cyclists.
At Heddon-on-the-Wall, a substantial stretch of Wall survives above ground, and further west the fort of Rudchester lies under fields. The Wall at Heddon is a good place to start a journey westward, as the landscape becomes wilder and the remains more impressive. The weather can be changeable, and the roads can be wet and slippery.
Prudhoe, seven kilometres away, has fuel and services, and Newcastle, not far east, has everything. Corbridge and Hexham, further west, are attractive towns with pubs, cafés and shops. In the pubs, try a pint of local ale and a stottie, a flat bread roll typical of the North East, filled with ham and pease pudding.