When the Romans abandoned their Wall, local builders found it a splendid quarry. Lanercost Priory, a few kilometres east of Brampton, was begun in the twelfth century by Augustinian canons, and its red sandstone includes dressed stones that were once part of the Wall and its forts, still marked with the tool lines of Roman masons. Naworth Castle, close by, was built from the same stone. In that sense, the Wall never really went away: it turned into churches, castles and farm walls across the north of England.
The vallum on this stretch lies between the road to Laversdale and the countryside around Irthington, east of Carlisle, and its ditch and banks can still be traced in the fields. It runs parallel to the line of the Wall, a short way to the south, and its purpose has been argued over for generations. The most common view is that it marked a military zone, with crossings only at the forts. Whatever its purpose, it was a huge piece of work, dug by hand in a few years.
The countryside here is gentle and green. The Eden plain gives way to the low hills of the Pennine edge, with oaks, hedges and red sandstone farmhouses. The B roads that run between Brampton, Irthington and Wetheral are narrow and winding, with sudden dips to cross streams. They are best ridden at a measured pace, since gravel and mud on the bends are common after rain and farm traffic can appear at any moment. The A69, the main road from Carlisle to Newcastle, is faster but less interesting.
Brampton has four thousand people, a market square and a couple of petrol options, while Wetheral, with a famous railway viaduct over the river, is smaller. For a big shop or a repair, Carlisle is only nine kilometres away. A market day at Brampton, on Wednesday, brings stalls into the square and a lot of local colour.
Birdoswald, a bit farther east, is a Roman fort with a fine stretch of Wall and a visitor centre, and makes a worthwhile extension. Early morning mist on the Eden is beautiful in autumn. Winter rain can turn the lanes into streams.