Newcastle is not where most people expect the Wall to end, but the Romans did not think of it as the end. The eastern terminus is at Wallsend, a few kilometres downriver, where the fort of Segedunum stood at the point where the Tyne widens, and from there the Wall ran west through what is now the centre of Newcastle. Wall mile 4 lies on that line, and Westgate Road, the main road west out of the city, follows it, so you may be riding along the line of the Wall without any sign. The Romans had a bridge over the Tyne at Newcastle, called Pons Aelius, the Bridge of Aelius, after Hadrian's family name, and the city grew up around the crossing.
The Tyne is the great feature. The Quayside, with its seven bridges, is an impressive piece of industrial history, from the High Level Bridge of Robert Stephenson to the graceful arch of the Tyne Bridge and the curving Gateshead Millennium Bridge. The Baltic arts centre and the Sage concert hall stand on the south bank. Newcastle's people are known for their warmth and their love of football, and the black-and-white shirts of Newcastle United can be seen in every pub. Just south, in Gateshead, the Angel of the North, a huge rust-coloured steel figure with outstretched wings, stands on a hill beside the main road.
Riding in the city is a matter of keeping your wits about you. The traffic is busy, the junctions are many and bus lanes and one-way systems can confuse a visitor. The surface can be rough, with tram rails in places. Outside the city, the A69 and the military road lead west into open country and the real Wall, and the Northumberland coast is a short ride north.
Fuel, food and everything else are everywhere. Newcastle and Gateshead have dozens of petrol stations, and Felling is a quiet suburb. Spring and early autumn are the best seasons, and the city is lively at night.