Rivers move, and the Irthing at Willowford proves it. When the Romans built the Wall here, they carried it across the river on a bridge, and the massive stone abutment of that bridge survives on the east bank, now well away from the water, because the river has shifted west over the centuries. Nearby, the earthwork outline of a Roman temporary camp, one of many marching camps built by units on campaign or on construction duty, lies in the fields. Temporary camps were ramparts of turf and ditches thrown up for a few nights or weeks, and their faint shapes are often best seen from the air or in low winter light.
A short walk along the Wall from Gilsland brings you to the bridge abutment, past a good stretch of Wall and a turret. Across the river, the Wall climbs steeply to Birdoswald, one of the best preserved forts on the frontier, with a museum and a café. The Irthing gorge below is wooded and beautiful, with the river running over rocks and the sound of water everywhere.
Gilsland is a village split between Cumbria and Northumberland, with a long history as a spa: its sulphur springs drew visitors in the nineteenth century, and the poet Walter Scott met his future wife here. Poltross Burn milecastle, at the edge of the village, is one of the best preserved milecastles on the Wall. Thirlwall Castle, a ruined medieval tower built with stone from the Wall, stands a little to the east.
The roads around Gilsland are quiet, narrow and winding, with farmland and moorland, and the B6318 runs nearby. The roads can be wet and muddy, and sheep are common. The weather here can be wild, with strong winds and rain from the west, but on a fine day the views over the Irthing valley and the Pennines are superb.
Haltwhistle, eight and a half kilometres away, is where to fill the tank and find a meal, and Brampton, ten kilometres away, has more. Carlisle, twenty five kilometres away, has everything. Gilsland has a pub and accommodation, and Birdoswald has a café.