About the book
From the Tyne to the Solway, Anton Hodge takes us on a geographical and historical tour of the Roman Wall area, which is highly informative, yet at the same time, irreverent and hilarious. Packed with accessible stories and histories, whether picked up from archaeology or through more dubious drunken chats in the local pubs, during the week-long walk, there are encounters with music-loving cows, amorous and less-amorous dogs, other walkers, imaginary B&B owners, Roman soldiers, foot and mouth disease, the Border Reivers and many more, including the strawberry lip balm!
Whether you have walked the Wall, are planning to, are interested in the history of northern England, or simply like to sit down with a book that will leave you smiling and crying at the same time, this is an entertaining account of 2,000 years of history.

About the author

Anton Hodge grew up in Perth before attending university in Edinburgh where he obtained a degree in Latin and Ancient History. After a short spell in Cambridge, he moved to Cumbria in 1996 where he now works for the Local Education Authority. He lives with his wife and young son just outside Carlisle, about three miles from the wall.
The Great Wall is his first book. He is currently working on his first novel and a book about the Anglo-Scottish border, available in spring 2007.

Reviews:

Anton Hodge is an interesting and knowledgeable travelling companion - a sort of Alfred Wainwright meets Simon Schama with some Bill Bryson genes thrown in for a laugh. His account of his walk along Hadrian's Wall is full of amusing observations of the characters around him as well as fascinating historical facts, not just from Roman times but covering the wall's entire existence.
Vivienne Crow, Editor of Cumbria Outdoors (The Cumberland News)

As a Scot born and raised, Anton Hodge is perhaps the sort of person Hadrian's Wall was built to keep out, but he did not let that stop him walking the full length of Britain's newest national trail from Wallsend on the North Sea to the Solway. This book is a mainly lighthearted diary of the experience and the people he met along the way.

Cumbria Life magazine, January 2005

By the same author:

The Border: A History in Ten and a Half Chapters

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