Helicopter drops off stone for Wall

HOVERING above Hadrian’s Wall a helicopter makes a drop with a difference to help preserve one of the North East’s most globally famous sites.

The Wall, which stretches 73 miles from the River Tyne to the Solway Firth, attracts tens of thousands of tourists and walkers each year.

The popularity of the World Heritage Site with visitors, as well as the wind and the rain, has resulted in considerable wear and tear to it.

Some of the footpath along it has eroded so much it has led to a scar so deep that the its original foundation stones have been exposed.

The National Trust, which owns and is responsible for six miles of the wall from Sewingshields to Cawfields, called in helicopter support to help them begin the repair of it.

Its general manager at Hadrian’s Wall, Andrew Poad, said: “We have a team of dedicated archaeological volunteers who monitor all our sites and record it on a data base.

“It was flashing red here and got to the point of damaging the footings meaning it was time for step in and do something about it.”

Over the course of just an hour and a half, the helicopter transported 35 tonnes of stone which will be used over the next month to install 78 metres – 250ft – of stone path at Caw Gap.

To make the new path, a trench (called a tray) is excavated along the line of the pathway. The larger stones are then arranged so that they fit together and are partially buried in the ground, ensuring stability.

Smaller stones and earth are then wedged into any gaps to help lock the larger stones into place. In time, vegetation will grow around the path, helping it blend into its surroundings.

The stone used is whinstone, and was locally sourced from farms in the surrounding area. Due to the historical importance of the site, an archaeologist will be onsite whenever digging for the new path is carried out.

Andrew said: “It was very quick and efficient. The helicopter put the stones exactly where they were wanted and required very little man handling.”

The preservation work is expected to take until the end of November. It’s hoped protecting the stonework will ensure walkers and visitors can enjoy the World Heritage Site for years to come.