(Robson) Stretching over 80 miles running through hills, dales, rivers and mountains Hadrian's Wall is a wonder of the ancient world.

You get an idea of the sheer size and scale of this gargantuan achievement.

It singled the edge of one of the greatest empires the world has ever known.

(Jon) Here we've got the second in command of a Roman century of 80 men.

(Robson) Armed with my trusty walking boots I'm going to travel along the entire length of this iconic monument.

This section here is known as the heart of Hadrian's Wall.

Through rain.

Absolutely chucking it down.

And shine.

If someone painted that view and showed you it you wouldn't believe them.

I learn the secrets of the Roman Empire.

(tour guide) If you needed a number two this is where you came.

(Robson) To the best kept secrets of the Great British countryside.

Wow.

Woohooo!

Meeting many folk along the way.

-Keep up, Robson.

-Sorry, mate.

That's amazing!

It will be an epic journey to take your breath away.

Oh wow.

I'm not a religious person but there is something spiritual about this part of the world.

So pack your corn clusters, fill your thermos and join me for the walk of a lifetime.

The Romans, they gave us it all.

♪ (orchestral music) ♪ I can't believe I've come this far.

I've walked over 40 miles across some incredible landscape.

From the mouth of the mighty River Tyne in the east through Heddon-on-the-Wall to Steel Rigg.

All the while, learning some amazing stuff about the Romans and I don't want this one to end.

The places I've been to.

This is just what you need after a long, hot day.

The things I've learned.

(tour guide) There's places of ill repute here, you're absolutely right.

(Robson) There was?

The people I've seen.

I'll have a sherry, ah-hey!

(lively music) ♪ But for the next 46 miles I need a pick me up that you can only get at the crack of dawn.

All right, it's early.

It's what we call in my profession, stupid-o'clock.

A lot of people say, "Robson, it's not about the journey but about the destination."

And I hope the place I'm going this morning is worth it because I am up with the larks.

Or in this case, the bees.

The Romans loved honey but they didn't just put it on toast.

To them, it was a drug.

A cure for acne, for constipation, a pick me up.

They even made it into booze.

Just the tonic I need.

Luke and Suzie Hutcherson are as mad for honey as the Romans were.

Morning guys, morning.

Hey, you two must really like honey.

Today, some of their bees are being allowed to roam over this stunning hillside to fill their boots with heather nectar before the winter sets in.

It's very, very early aren't the bees asleep and won't they get really angry when we wake them up.

-The bees work 24/7, so.

-Do they?

Bees don't sleep?

-No.

-Do they sense fear?

(Suzie) Um, possibly.

(Luke) Don't sweat, whatever you do don't sweat.

-Yeah, no sweating.

-Oh like I've got control over that, you saying that has just started to make me sweat.

All right, have any of you been stung before?

(Suzie) Well, it varies somedays you don't get stung at all.

Other days you might get stung four or five times.

(Robson) And when you got stung four or five times did it hurt?

(Suzie) Oh yeah, yeah.

(Robson) It's not what you call thick gloves, are they?

(Suzie) Oh no, they can sting through the gloves and the suit, so.

-Why are you telling me that?

-Just don't sweat.

(Robson) Don't sweat.

All right, so, right.

I feel like a bit of a Ghostbuster, Suzie.

-Yup you will.

-Don't cross the streams or in this case, don't cross the bees.

Right.

-Into the bee's den.

-Let's go.

(Robson) Oh, they're looking lively already.

They're going in all sort of directions.

I've just been nutted by one.

-They don't seem happy.

-No, they're absolutely fine.

They're not stinging, they're just curious.

(Suzie) So just giving them a little bit of smoke.

It's kind of a knock on the door letting them know that we're coming in.

(Luke) So if you get your nose in here-- (Robson) I was gonna say and smell it from here, I can actually smell it from here.

That's insanely beautiful, wow.

(Suzie) So we're just really gentle.

It's a bit like somebody coming into your house, taking the roof off and lifting a wall out.

(Robson) It's a burglary, that's what it is Suzie, let's not beat around the bush.

(Suzie) So we've just got to be really gentle with them.

Make sure that they're happy.

So there you go, that's the honey in the comb.

-That is jam packed.

-Bring your hand and just pop it between the frames there just really gently, you'll feel the heat in the hive and the actual heat that's coming out of there.

(Robson) Oh my goodness, yeah.

What is it about this honey that makes it so special?

(Suzie) Well it's heather honey.

It's also Northumberland heather honey so obviously that's very special.

(Robson) These amazing worker bees make this honey by chewing the nectar and passing it between themselves till it reaches the right consistency.

♪ Do you know what guys, I've been to some picnic spots in my time but nothing compares to this, this is incredible.

♪ I can't wait, do you mind if I have a taste?

(Suzie) Go for it.

♪ (Robson) Okay, here we go.

This is a first.

♪ That just makes your taste buds sing, that, ugh!

I feel a bit guilty.

Each teaspoon represents the entire life's work of about 12 bees.

♪ Luke and Suzie also use their honey to produce mead.

The oldest known alcoholic drink and a favorite tipple of the Roman Empire.

But they've given it a modern twist.

(Suzie) We actually mix some of this really lovely honey that we gather with spring water and we do a fermentation in the bottle and this creates bubbles so it's made in the same way as you would make champagne.

(Robson) I mean, it's 7:07 AM, it's a bit early to be getting on it.

That's lovely.

Do you think this is what the legionaries or the kind of higher titled people in Roman time -would be drinking?

-Well, yes.

I mean, the Romans valued honey and the bees wax and they used it in medicine and all manner of things.

It wouldn't have been the foot soldiers that would have drank the mead but it would have been the ones higher up in the ranks that would have had this sort of thing.

(Robson) Amazing.

Now I don't like to pull rank but we better keep moving before the crew get hold of the mead.

(guitar music) (upbeat music) ♪ I'm continuing my journey east to west along Hadrian's Wall.

♪ So this is the beautiful, quaint and idyllic town of Gilsland and it's a place that straddles two counties and bear with... if I stand like this, part of me in is Northumberland and the other half is in Cumbria.

So I guess you could call me a Northumbrian-Cumbrian.

And thank you, I'm here all week.

See what I did there?

That hurt.

I think I pulled something.

♪ Just taking a bit of a detour from Hadrian's Wall alongside the River Irthing and I'm looking for a stone.

Ah, there is it.

Not any old stone.

The famous Popping Stone.

So called because after a whirlwind romance it's where Sir Walter Scott popped the question to his sweetheart, hence the name, the Popping Stone.

♪ This is such an impressive sight.

I mean, this wall was built to last.

I mean, back then the Roman Empire to everybody was forever, you just start to get imagery of those thousands of soldiers just building this gargantuan structure.

I mean, what an achievement.

And I know a lot of it has disappeared but that's only because it was nicked.

♪ The wall might not have been dismantled in Cumbria but a different type of vandal was at work here.

Oh, a bit of a tour going on.

Morning, ladies.

Do you mind if I join you?

-You doing a bit of a tour?

-We are.

We're having a tour here of Hadrian's Wall.

-Oh, lovely, I'm Robson.

-Hi.

-What's your name?

-I'm Sue.

-Sue, are you a tour guide?

-I am a tour guide, yes.

(Robson) And who are you touring here, what's your name?

-Christine.

-Anita.

-And Jeanette.

-Jeanette, Robson.

So Sue, what have you been talking about?

(Sue) What we're here for really is to look at some of the more unusual inscriptions that can be found -along the wall.

-Inscriptions?

Like carvings kind of carvings of worship and religion, yeah?

-There are.

-Like Augustus was here.

-Exactly, yes.

-Ah, I got you, okay.

Obviously, graffiting the wall is a strict no-no these days.

(Sue) We're looking for a specific type of inscription.

(Robson) And what specific type or symbol or inscription is that, Sue?

-It's a willy.

-It's a what?

-It's a phallic symbol.

-Are you kidding me?

You're saying there's willies on Hadrian's Wall?

(Sue) There are willies on Hadrian's Wall-- (Robson) I do not believe ya.

This is what you lot are doing for your kicks?

It's not the history.

Hold me back, let's go and look at some willies, shall we?

(Sue) And so what we're going to look for is a stone on the bottom course which has got an "X" on it and then you look up and one, two, three, four, five, six courses up see what you can find.

-One "X".

-One "X" there's an "X".

(Robson) And six what--oh!

(lively music) Jeanette, well spotted!

What was that?

Force of habit?

(laughing) Are you telling me that's a 2,000 year old carving?

(Sue) Yes.

Well, believe it or not, these were used as good luck symbols.

-Really?

-Oh, yes.

(Robson) Willies are symbols of good luck?

-Symbols of good luck.

-No, four-leaf clovers -are symbols of good luck.

-Ah, but in Roman times this was it, this protected you from the evil eye.

The phallic symbol was very, very popular and people used to wear them around their necks.

So they were used above doorways as well.

(Robson) So they would've been all around the Roman Empire, -all over the world?

-Yes, yes.

And it tells us so much about the troops that were here.

-We know where they came from.

-They had a sense of humor.

-They had a sense of humor.

-I mean--but who is that based on?

Cause I think they're bordering on the realms fantasy there.

Do you know what I'm saying?

(Sue) I think somebody with a very vivid imagination carved that.

(Robson) Sue, I'll be honest with you, the one thing I never thought I'd see on this journey is a 2,000 year old willy carving.

That has been enlightening and fascinating.

-Lovely to meet you, take care.

-And you, take care.

-Enjoy your walk.

-Enjoy looking for your willies.

Well that's phrase I didn't think I'd be saying on this journey.

♪ And if looking for stone willies is your thing apparently there's another 56 of them along the wall.

♪ I'm stopping off at Birdoswald.

One of the 16 forts along Hadrian's Wall.

It lies between Haltwhistle and Brampton.

North of the River Irthing.

♪ Tony Willmart has been working here for over 30 years so knows a thing or two about the mystery of why westwards from here the wall suddenly changes its structure from stone to grass and mud.

♪ So am I right in thinking suddenly it transitions into -a turf wall?

-That's right, yup.

From milecastle 49 to Bowness-on-Solway it's built of turf.

-Why was that then?

-Well, a couple of ideas.

One of them is the fact that you've got red sandstone over there, you've not got the limestone.

So logistics is one explanation.

Another explanation that's come up is they wanted it up fast because there was more of a threat from the western side so they wanted to build a barrier fast.

Today, the turf wall is largely invisible.

But its construction reveals important information about Roman Britain to archeologists today.

(Tony) When you're building a turf earthwork you are taking the turf off and then you are putting it on top of the existing ground surface and you're sealing seeds and pollen and we can get an idea of what the pre-Roman landscape looked like from analyzing the pollen underneath those earthworks and I can tell you that in the year 122 this was a boggy, woodland.

Two and a half miles that way you've got grazed moorland and then over to the east you've got arable.

(Robson) Incredible that we know all that from some ancient pollen and seeds.

What is it about archeology that floats your boat, Tony?

(Tony) It's--it's the discovery.

You get the occasional little bit that... flicks you back and one of those was we were scraping at the bottom turf of the turf wall.

I saw this little flash of red which is about the size of my thumbnail.

A little oval stone thing and it was a jasper intaglio from a ring.

From a finger ring.

Turned it over, it was an imperial eagle with its wings folded, laurel wreath in its beak, flanked by two imperial standards.

That had dropped out of the ring of a legionary soldier building the turf wall of Hadrian's Wall.

And you just got that... -back to that individual.

-Right, love it.

Tony, love your knowledge.

I love the way you just bring everything to life.

-It's what it's all about.

-Mate, pleasure meeting you.

-And you.

-Wish me luck to the west.

-Happy walking.

-Thank you.

(uplifting fiddle music) Better keep on keeping on.

I've still got 40 miles to go.

♪ Drinks and snacks?

Well I never.

What have we got here?

♪ Is this some kind of cute little self-service cafe?

A cup of tea, a quid.

Cheap at half the price.

Not bad.

Cheers.

I don't think it gets much more British than this.

Self-service tea on the side of a World Heritage Site.

♪ And in case you're wondering, I'd like to point out I did put money in the honesty box.

They just forgot to film it.

Honest.

♪ If like me you find yourself walking along Hadrian's Wall it really helps if you absolutely love a gate.

♪ And I have to be honest, it's completely knackering.

(chuckling) What the hell?

(guitar music) ♪ I'm feeling it, man, I'm tired.

Tell you how tired I am, even my tiredness is tired and I'm hungry and I know you're going oh, shut up, you're on a jolly get some perspective.

No I'm hungry, I could murder a chicken casserole.

Carbonara.

I have a certain penchant for a carbonara but when you're heading to Brampton in Cumbria there's only one thing to eat.

♪ Hold on to your hats because there's a meat fact coming.

Cumbria used to be called Cumberland and it's where the famous sausage gets its name.

♪ This is incredible Everything you could imagine and more.

Dave has been wrangling sausages here since 1984.

That's what I've come to see and hopefully taste.

The famous Cumberland sausage, am I right?

(Dave) That is the famous Cumberland sausage.

(Robson) I have to ask, what makes it different to all the other -sausages in the world?

-It's gotta be no less than -20 millimeters thick.

-Seriously?

(Dave) Seriously, it's got to be heavily spiced and it's got to be one length, no less than five foot.

-What!

-And it's also gotta be -in a coil.

-Dave's not always been a fan of this Cumbrian delicacy.

(Dave) My gram used to make her own Cumberland sausage, I couldn't eat it.

-It was far too peppery for me.

-My gran used to make -jugged hare.

-Jugged hare?

(Robson) Jugged hare, she'd chop of hare up put it in a jug, fill the jug with sherry, put a cork on it and put it underground and then expected to eat it at Christmas.

Bloody awful.

Anyway, I have to ask, -is it good for you?

-Look how slim I am.

Why don't you come around the counter and I'll show you how it's made.

(Robson) I never thought you'd ask.

Right, in order to make Cumberland sausage you gotta look the part.

Just tie it behind my back.

You couldn't do me up, could you, David?

Thanks very much, cause you know, any normal job would get people do to this.

(Dave) Well, I'm sure I can tie you up and you're gonna play -with my sausage.

-Oy, we're here all week.

It's a family show, steady on, right.

Right, David, I have to ask before we start, what do you actually call someone who produces and makes Cumberland sausage?

(Dave) Sausage maker.

(Robson) Stupid question.

Let the sausage coiling master class begin.

(Dave) All right, you're gonna take the end of your sausage, gonna put it on the tray and then you're going to put it in a coil.

Keep twisting and turning at the same time, the sausage, because it will snap if you don't.

-Right.

-So you just keep turning.

-How am I doing?

-You're doing all right, yeah.

You got a bit of a twist in it.

(Robson) I feel like I'm on the generation game.

I've got a kink in my sausage, David.

Hang on.

Story of my life.

(lively music) Well, I'll give you about-- I'll give you a nine out of ten but let's look over here, look what I've done here.

If I took that to the Tate Modern Gallery I'd probably get ten grand for that.

(Dave) I reckon I'll give you p45 for that.

-Really?

-Why don't we cook some up?

(Robson) I love the way you're thinking, David.

This is what I've been waiting for.

♪ Whoa, Mark, it smells amazing.

♪ -Beautiful.

-Man, that is off the scale.

What I love about this shop, it's an amazing array of meat and just hidden away here there's a little vegan chickpea roll.

That's a nice touch, isn't it?

Oh.

I like a legume as much as the next person but I think I'll stick with the sausage today.

That is lovely.

Really lovely.

-David, thank you so much.

-You're welcome.

(Robson) What a day, what an experience, what a taste.

(chuckling) (guitar music) (lively music) I'm walking along Hadrian's Wall.

I've traveled over 60 miles so far and another 20 to go to the finish line.

One thing I didn't expect to find was so much graffiti.

Roman legionaries either really liked to leave their mark or they had too much time on their hands.

Because as well as carving willies along the wall they left other examples of their handiwork in some quite hard to reach places.

♪ Now in my spare time when I'm not in front of the camera I do like a bit of fishing and cycling.

And I've recently taken up climbing which I think will come in handy today.

Because I'm off to glimpse some ancient Roman graffiti.

But a glimpse in this case requires a harness, a helmet and a head for heights.

♪ And it's here that one of the most important inscriptions in Roman Britain can be found.

♪ Ah, this must be the fella.

Jon Allison, archeologist?

Robson, nice to meet yah buddy.

Yah gonna show me some ancient inscriptions?

(Jon) Yes, do you want to drop your bag off?

♪ -Thanks Jon.

-All right, let's go on.

(Robson) The inscriptions are incredibly rare and I'm really lucky to be seeing them up-close as they were carved into soft Cumbrian sandstone which is slowly wearing away.

Are they still in good condition, Jon?

(Jon) No, from my observations, I've been walking down here for years and every time, you know, each year I visit it seems to be less and less visible.

So it looks like they're eroding away and I personally don't think they'll be here -for many more decades.

-Seriously?

That short?

(Jon) That short, they're disappearing fast Robson.

(Jon) So your job is to preserve these inscriptions to be enjoyed for generations for come, is that it?

-Absolutely.

-Gotcha.

The Roman markings were only rediscovered in the 18th century.

And I can see why.

It's not exactly accessible.

-Up here?

-Up here.

(Robson) Ah, now it gets interesting.

(Jon) It's cloudy man, it's going to get slip.

-All right, lads.

-Moring, guys, how we doing?

(Robson) Very well, Robson, nice to meet you.

I didn't realize how much of a climb it was.

I might have over sold myself here.

(Jon) Here we go then, Robson.

Come on, son.

It's what it's all about.

(Robson) I was putting my catch on.

You know, in my game this would be defined as a stunt.

I used to have people who did this sort of thing.

I'll be with yah in a sec Jon, I'm just admiring the view.

Of a steep rock face and a drop to the river below.

We've got the Gelt River in flood below us.

The Gelt River, ancient word for "Crazy River".

♪ Oo-cha.

♪ Come on.

All right, lad.

Be with you in a second, I promise.

♪ Oh, I felt that, ugh!

Oy, yoy, yoy.

Of all the ways to view graffiti, god there's gotta be easier than this, Jon.

Quarrying for stone is a risky business, isn't it.

Right, this seems significant but I have to say... this--what is this?

Some kind of ancient Roman emoji?

(Jon) It looks like an emoji, doesn't it?

-It does.

-I've come to the conclusion that it's a deity, not just a deity -but he's a water deity.

-So this is something -that was worshiped?

-More likely it's a symbol of good luck, they're working next to water these Roman soldiers, perhaps they were a superstitious lot.

And they're asking for good luck not to fall in the water.

Pure speculation but I like it.

That's the good thing about archeology.

(Robson) Hashtag, stop me falling in the water face.

Do these inscriptions here tell you the type of men that were working on the face here?

(Jon) We're telling the story of people, Robson, here.

What people at the bottom of the food chain were doing.

We can--from all these inscriptions we've got a list of names of people who have been here.

Here we've got the optio the second in command of a Roman century of 80 men and the centurion who begins with APR.

We know who one of the quarry managers were, Mercatius Ferni.

We've got Epius further across.

We've got Julius below us.

(Robson) It's great we have the names of the men who actually worked here.

The lads on the tools, not the ones sitting in the Roman equivalent of head office.

Could these inscriptions and this graffiti be their stamp on their work?

Like we were here, we did this.

-Remember us.

-Absolutely.

A lot of the inscriptions are them just doing that.

This is me, I was here.

(Robson) I have to say, Jon, when it comes to history lessons this is my type of classroom.

-It's absolutely compelling.

-Thanks very much, Robson.

As an archeologist we don't just want to find stuff.

We want to tell people about it too and the story the people.

Thanks very much for coming.

It's cracking here, cracking rocking.

(Robson) Cracking, cracking right, how do we get down?

The wall, ey?

It's a wild world of graffiti, penises, mead, rocks and sausage rolls.

The more I find out about Hadrian's Wall the more I'm learning about the people who maned and maintained it.

And you know, they're not who I thought they were.

(rhythmic music) On the north side of the River Eden, across from Carlisle City Center is this lovely field.

There's not much evidence of Romans here today but it was once the largest fort on Hadrian's Wall and home to over 1,000 soldiers.

Author and journalist Robin Yassin-Kassab discovered an unexpected link to his own middle eastern heritage while writing an article about Hadrian's Wall.

(Robin) I found something which really surprised me which was that there is the tombstone at Corbridge on the wall of a character called Barathes who was a Syrian, you know, two millennia ago.

So that in itself was interesting because 2,000 years ago there were people here from Syria.

My father's a Syrian.

There were Iraqis, there were Spaniards and there's the grave of a Northwest African is buried somewhere on the wall.

(Robson) Was their one defining moment of your journey -along Hadrian's Wall?

-For me, the moment was when I discovered that this guy Barathes had married a local Celtic woman.

Who had become a slave early in her life and at some point had been bought by Barathes, the Syrian and there seems to be a love story.

Because he spent a lot of money on what was a very elaborate tombstone.

Doing that trip down the wall, finding out about these ancient Syrians and Iraqis and their relationships with locals showed that my own blood, if you'd like, -is connected to this history.

-From your story I'm getting that it kind of gave you a sense of place.

(Robin) I suppose you could say that, yes.

It makes you feel that the whole world is your home and I think that's true that all human beings should feel, to some extent, at home anywhere in the world.

(Robson) Not only do you learn about the past and your origins, you see yourself in the present and how you fit within that world in a much more intelligent way and therefore, I think you have an idea of where you're going.

(Robin) If you don't know where you're coming from you don't know where you're going to.

-As Bob Marley said.

-You have to go out and see it and touch it and feel it and hear people's stories because that's what it is.

Stories, we learn from that all.

And get that siren scene too.

(laughing) Ah you'll never sell ice creams doing that.

Well, a joy talking to you.

-An absolute joy.

-Great talking to you too.

(Robson) It's really inspiring seeing Robin's passion and it makes me think that the story of Roman Britain isn't really in toilets, tunics and technology.

It's in its people and what a bunch they were.

(guitar music) ♪ I've done most of it the hard way, walking for miles in what passes for a British summer.

But today, I want a bird's eye view.

-How you doing, Chris?

-Robson, good afternoon, sir.

-Good afternoon, how are you?

-Very well, very well indeed.

(Robson) Is it a good afternoon to fly, sir?

(Chris) Excellent and you'll be flying the aircraft, so.

-Ey?

-Oh yes.

(Robson) Have you got not a license?

-I have indeed.

-I'd be in the front?

-I'd be in the back.

-I'll be in the front?

-You will.

-I suspect I need -a costume change, then.

-You will, yup.

(Robson) And where's my Winnebago?

(Chris) It's at the back, this way.

(Robson) My Winnebago is over here.

I've always been fascinated by flying.

I was in the Air Training Corps as a young lad.

Never wanted to be a presenter or an actor.

Always wanted to be a pilot.

As an air cadet in the Air Train Corps 861 squadron.

Flew Gliders, Chipmunks, Bulldogs.

Wanted to fly Lightnings.

Ended up putting makeup on and punting about in front of a camera.

But gyrocopters, what are they like to fly?

(Chris) They're excellent, really, really good.

(Robson) Okie-dokie, Chris.

Three words very close to my heart.

-Health and safety.

-Excellent.

(Robson) What are the dos and don'ts for my point of view?

(Chris) Don't crash.

(laughing) (Robson) It's good advice but it's not enough.

All I need to say now is if I got into the ground like a dart only to be found like a roman relic in 2,000 years time it's Chris' fault.

I've done a fair bit of flying but never in one of these.

(Chris) It stops you from falling out when we go upside down.

(laughing) (Robson) That's not funny.

It's just not funny.

(plane engine roars) I love you, Mom.

Gyroplanes are a cross between a fixed wing airplane and a helicopter and according to my director, it's one of the safest aircraft to fly.

Ugh.

There's so many ways to travel alongside Hadrian's Wall.

You can walk, you can cycle, of course, you can drive the car but for me, this is the only way to travel.

(lively music) ♪ -How are you Robson, you okay?

-Yeah, very good.

♪ Wow.

Woohoo!

♪ I'm speechless and if you've watched the rest of the series you'll know I'm never loss for words.

♪ So we're flying over the ancient roman town of Carlisle.

And there's Carlisle Castle.

And if you were a Roman 2,000 years ago looking for some R and R you know, if you wanted to let your hair down Carlisle was the place to be 2,000 years ago.

♪ This is great, Chris.

This is great.

♪ Look at the solway it looks stunning.

Oh my goodness, what a beautiful sight.

♪ And there's the area at the end of Hadrian's Wall.

That's where it ends.

That's where I'm headed.

Wow.

♪ It's amazing what you can see from up here.

♪ Although the turf part of Hadrian's Wall isn't visible it wasn't the only thing the Romans built in this part of the world.

Directly below us is a very long and straight road.

And long and straight roads mean only one thing to me, Roman.

These types of structures, infrastructures are dotted all the way along and around Hadrian's Wall.

♪ Incredible.

♪ (plane roaring) (Chris) Robson, should we get you on the controls -and fly the aircraft?

-You want me to fly -the aircraft?

-Yeah.

(Robson) Okay, I have control Chris?

(Chris) Speed indicator's the middle dial.

(Robson) Okay, so I'm just gonna bang to the left, I'm looking to the left, oh there's nothing there.

-There you go.

-Good.

-Straighten that out.

-Right.

(Robson) A little bank to the right here, Chris.

(Chris) Just to prove you're flying the aircraft, nothing to do with me.

(Robson) Yeah man, just--yes, just let's make sure the houses don't get any bigger.

My goodness.

Ah, what a beautiful day.

♪ Chris, am I still in control of this aircraft?

Oh my goodness, I got distracted there Chris.

I just thought, "Oh the grounds getting a bit close there."

I'll just bring us up a bit.

I'll just bring the nose up.

♪ I bet you're thinking, "Oh, he picked up gyrocopter flying quickly."

Actually, Chris is back in control.

While I do my best Kate Winslet from Titanic impression.

Yes!

Whoa!

♪ Chris, I cannot thank you enough.

That was the trip of a lifetime.

(chuckling) ♪ Oh man, that was amazing and it's a great way to see the history of this area.

It really is.

♪ I always wanted to be a pilot and today I was.

With my mate Chris.

-Cheers, buddy.

-No problem at all.

(Robson) That trip has really set me up and I'm not ready for the final part of my journey.

(guitar music) (funky music) ♪ I can't quite believe it but I'm on the final leg of my walk along Hadrian's Wall.

I've just had a bird's eye view of my final few miles and now I'm going to have a view of some birds.

♪ Now in a world rules by gods and goddesses, birds of prey played a really important role in Roman belief system because of the power of flight it gave them superiority and symbolism.

If you were to hear an owl hoot in ancient Rome it foretold imminent death.

It's true, I read it somewhere.

♪ Hopefully, that's just an old Roman wives' tale because Gary Swanson is about to introduce me to some Cumbrian birds of prey.

-Gary.

-Hi Robson, how you doing?

(Robson) I'm very well, nice to meet you.

(Gary) Okay, so come on I'll show you the birds.

(Robson) How many you got on site, Gary?

(Gary) We've got about 15 birds altogether.

-Who have we got here?

-This is the star of the show at the moment.

This is Pedro and Pedro is a spectacle owl.

So he's just a baby, he's only 15 weeks old.

(Robson) He's stunning.

(Gary) Ch-ch-ch.

Here we go.

Excellent, heyya, pal.

How you doing?

Hey, dude.

(Robson) Do you mind if I see you and Pedro in action?

(Gary) Absolutely, not at all, no that'd be great.

Yeah, yeah let's do it.

Sit, let's get you up.

Come on you beautiful creature, good lad.

There you go, hello.

All right.

Here he is, this is Pedro.

-Hello mate.

-He's really gentle if you want to touch him he'll nibble your fingers yeah but he won't bite at all, he's very, very gentle.

(Robson) He won't bite at all?

He just went to bite me.

-He went for my neck.

-I mean he won't hurt you.

(Robson) These are some of the most efficient killers in the world of bird life, look at him, yeah.

(Gary) But actually, he's honestly very gentle.

He'll nibble but there's no biting.

(Robson) Oh, hello mate, you're beautiful.

Brilliant, should we see him in action?

(Gary) Cool yeah, let's take him down the steps here.

(Robson) Training killer owls not only allowed the Romans to hunt but intimidate their enemies.

It takes a lot of skill and patience.

Right Gary, page one of training an owl.

-First, get your owl.

-Right I'll travel to Paraguay, done that and back.

(Gary) Here's one I've prepared earlier.

What we're going to do is pop Pedro down on this little perch here.

There you go, pal.

I'm going to give you a piece of chicken so he's got a reward this time.

Oh, oh, hello.

-Sorry, Pedro's off.

-That's okay.

(Robson) I just thought he thought my nose and my eye was a piece of chicken.

Ugh, heart rate's just-- I'm all right, everything's fine.

-Ch-ch-ch-ch.

-Ch-ch-ch-ch.

-Wow.

-Excellent.

-Pedro, you did it.

-He's never actually flown free yet, he's never had a free flight.

So do you want to be the person to fly him free -for the first time?

-Oh well let's just put it on your head cause he could bugger off.

They say never work with animals and children.

I wonder if that applies to adolescent owls too.

Okay, no pressure.

This is Pedro's first free flight with an actor holding a piece of chicken.

What could possibly go wrong.

(Gary) Okay.

(Robson) This is it Pedro.

It's the big one.

-Excellent, excellent.

-Take one, mate.

(Gary) So that's good, at 15 weeks old he's doing so well, I'm delighted with him.

-Yeah, well done.

-What a great thing to do.

And you have a nibble on my finger.

Oh, he's got through to the bone there.

Keep going.

What a great day.

I wanted to say a real hoot but the producers wouldn't let me.

(guitar music) ♪ I'm on the final furlong, what an adventure.

What a journey.

I've smashed my daily step count.

I've eaten eight bacon buddies.

That's one in every ten miles.

I've crossed dozens of gates.

Met 79 people, a dog and an owl.

And the end is finally in sight.

♪ Oh, some fellow walkers.

Hi guys.

How you doing?

Are you heading to Bowness-on-Solway?

-Yeah.

-What we've got going on -here then?

-This is a walking stick flute.

A walking stick flute.

This is a first.

(flute playing) ♪ That has to be the most surreal moment of this whole journey.

That was brilliant!

That was brilliant!

(uplifting music) It's been great meeting people along the way but I think I'd like to do this last bit... on my own.

♪ Welcome to the end of the Hadrian's Wall Path.

Oh it's lovely, look at that.

Isn't that pretty?

♪ I'm glad I walked east to west.

What a beautiful place to finish.

♪ I can't quite believe it but it's time for my final passport stamp.

♪ That feels good.

♪ I've done what I set out to do.

I think I'll go for a walk along the beach.

♪ I'd been lucky enough to travel all over the world.

132 countries at the last count.

♪ I've seen some amazing things and been to some extreme places.

But I've always liked coming home and this journey has made me realize home isn't your living room.

It's not even your street or your town.

It's not what you can see or touch.

It's what you feel.

It's where your heart takes you.

♪ I have learned so much on this journey.

From sanitation, education, medicine, roads, wine, public health system, fresh water system.

The Romans... they gave us it all.

♪ And for me this has been a story of all people from all places at all times.

♪ And the story of Hadrian's Wall and everything it tells us of our past is one of the most beautiful and unique time capsules in the world.

♪ And I love the fact that people from all over the world come to visit a place that I am still very proud to call home.

♪ (guitar music) ♪