Road near Walltown Crags
From Walltown Crags we go on a very minor tarmac road for just under two miles, passing a big kiln on the left (possibly an old lime kiln). There's a few cattle grids on that, then it's a short sharp climb to Aesica Roman Fort, also known as Great Chesters. Aerial image of it here as you don't get any idea of the size from the ground http://wiki.worldflicks.org/aesica.html (We run from the bottom of the image along the road, turning right across the fields before we hit the farm). Bring a copper coin or two with you, there's a Roman altar we run past where people put coins on and say prayers and wish for luck.
The coins on the altar
There's a short section across the fields, but they're fairly flat, although it was wet in places, then it's back on a minor road from where you get a good view of Cawfield Crags, then a longer section across grassland that was fairly flat, but covered in tussocks you had to dodge round. It runs alongside the Vallum - sort of banked earthworks that run south of the wall and is quite prominent. If I remember my history lessons rightly, it was the supply road that the Romans used.
Cawfield Crags. We run across the grass towards them
Cross a minor road at Shield On The Wall, then it's grass again, this time more lumpy and boggy. I gave up trying to pick my way across the dry bits in the end and just plodded through the mud and puddles.
Then it's a short downhill on the grass to cross over the A69 and onto a tarmac road, downhill past a campsite on the left, then a gentle uphill till we turn off onto a grass and gravel track that's fairly decent to run on. We go past a brown horse on the left (bring an apple for him)
That there's the horse. On the left. Hiding behind the wall
Then back onto a tarmac farm road at a place called Cranberry Brow. Along the road we turn right onto a minor road, then downhill and left, then turning left again onto a tarmac farm road, then onto a grass and mud track, at which point you can see Vindolanda.
The field near Vindolanda, which you can just see on the extreme right of the picture. Looking at the Rat Race website, I think the campsite's in this field, but I could be wrong.
The route then goes past Vindolanda on a fairly badly maintained tarmac road, with a steep downhill, then a steep uphill past a car park on the left (where I started from).
There's maybe a dozen stiles/gates and half a dozen cattle grids to deal with along the section from Gils
