A Load Of Bull On The Hadrian's Wall Trail

by Billy Davies, Hebburn

While walking the Hadrian's Wall Trail, just outside of Brough on Sands we encountered our first and, as it turned out, not the last heard of young bulls.

We noticed a 'bus shelter' with a seat surrounded with a wire fence, we entered, sat down and prepared to have a coffee, wondering why there was a fence around a bus stop.

It didn't take long to find out. There must of been 30 to 40 bulls surrounding the stop. It was early in the morning and no one was around except us and the bulls, it took almost an hour to get them to move so we could continue.

Later on the trail near Chollerford we had to cross through yet another field alongside a piece of Hadrian's Wall. There was as usual young bulls in the field, the grass had been cut to form a path through the field for the walkers, only these young 'uns didn't want to walk in the long grass, no. They lined up on the path, and one who was obviously the boss, stepped forward to investigate these 2 things,with humps on their backs moving towards them.

He stopped.

We Stopped.

He looked back at the others and I swear he smiled.

We were ready to run in the opposite direction for what good it would of done us, the stand off lasted for about 5 minutes but seemed like hours, before this young bull bellowed, turned and lashing out with his hind legs, he took off for the corner of the field and allowing us to climb down from the wall and get out of the field ASAP.