Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
#1
I am not going to tell you about the history of the romans or about the Wall but just how I felt and some of the things that happened on the way.Ok first Hadrian's Wall streches from Bowness on Solway to Wallsend,from the west coast of England to the east coast of England.Or in simple terms 15 miles west of Carlisle to 10 miles east of Newcastle,the wall was built by Hadrian well actually it was built by hundreds if not thousands of slaves to keep the heathen Scottish out,here is my diary.
Sunday 25th April,why walk 84 miles when I don't really like walking? Well OK I don't drive so I do walk but 84 miles! why? Because it is there! I grew up in Sandwich with Richborough just up the road and I love my history and I am raising money for a good cause nearly £1000.So here is my diary of the 6 day trip,today it starts off in Sunderland to stay in a Travelodge at £19 can't really go wrong.Then tomorrow Carlisle so that it is not such a long journey plus I am walking 15 miles.Can I really walk 84 miles in 5 days.....I will let you know.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
#2
Monday 26th April train to Carlisle drop off my stuff at Abbersley House nice Hotel then catch the 13.35 bus to Bowness on Solway.arrived 14.10.Don't know why the Romans came here not a good looking place,then 15 miles of tarmac and footpath,no sign of the wall.Probably because I hear the Romans built this end of the wall with Mud and Turf.The only good views were across the Solway to Scotland (Annan I believe) and in the distance the Cumbrian Mountains that still had snow on some of the tops.If you haven't got very long miss this bit out,but if you want to walk the 84 miles its yours- enjoy.Arrived into Carlisle at 19.30 after loosing my way.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
#3
Tuesday 27th April Carlilse to Willowford near Gisland,at last some wall! Rolling hills but a good walk,must be good with Cows Sheep and Horses,footpath easy to follow even had a break in someones Garden Shed.It was a self service shed with Tea soft drinks and chocolate with an honsety box,but it was a real garden shed with a plastic garden chair to sit on,but it was needed because it was quite hot and I had run out of water.Saw about 30 walkers going the other way,it rained for a little just a heavy mist but for about an hour but it was quite refreshing.Stunning views at Banks and at Willowford.My bed and breakfast was Willowford Farm expensive but a brilliant place to stay,Fair trade as most of Hadrian's Wall is Organic Enviormentally friendly and a 3 course dinner produced from the farm for £18.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
#4
Wednesday 28th April a few thoughts before I start today,today is the BIG one 18-20 miles on steep crags,I am walking West to East while most people walk East to West,is this the best way? Well the weather has been behind me and what wind there is seems to be pushing me,so that is an advantage although it has been pretty warm and you don't get the beeze in your face to cool you down,and one thing I didn't think too hard about,although I am carrying a flask is how thirst I get and there is very little chance to take on fluids,so from now on I will be taking on drink when ever I get the chance.Dinner last night was absolutly superb,as I said it was all sourced from either the farm or near by.Met a couple who were walking the other way and they told me what to expect and it sounds daunting.My feet are sore and apart from bad heels little blistering,but stiff in the legs but having a bath in my room helps rather than a shower,so here we go my Mt Everest.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
#5
Still Wed 28th April,What a Walk! met a man just after 8am this morning who was limping along in front of me,asked if he wanted company for a while,turned out his Brother-in-Law had dropped out yesterday and it turned out he was staying in the same Bed and Breakfast as me tonight,his name unbelieverbly was Gordon Brown,no not that one,this Gordon Brown was from Staffordshire and although he was a Tory is voting UKIP this time,
This day is tough,no it was worse than that,got more walking boots out for this bit,amazing ,very steep,windy but after 9 hours we limped into our Bed and Breakfast.Yes the views were incredible but you have to earn them,hills up then down and up even higher.
Brilliant Bed and Breakfast again set up on a hillside above Hexham (10 miles away) called Carraw Farm.Had the wind behind us again and that helped but missed 1 sign and walked 1 mile of course and decided to get back to the path,cut back via barbed wire fencing,a stream then up a large hill,as I said this is the best part of the wall but the toughest.Feet holding out and what is really strange that the wall route goes right thru some peoples front gardens.Still a problem with water as few places en route.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
#6
Thur 29th April Walked all day with Gordon Brown 20 miles going is getting tougher because feet are getting blistered,but at todays stop we are only 15 miles from the end,so looking forward to completing 69 miles we set off, just a walk in the park really.Gordon's wife met us several times during the day.Started off with bits of the wall but in the las 10 miles it disappears again mainly because Hexham Abbey is built from it,see even then they used to nick things and this was the church.Rolling hills again and a mixture of walking tarmac grass flint rocks how I long for woodchip or sand.Overcast most of the day wind still behind us.Met lots of walkers going the other way.Stayed at Iron Sign Bed and Breakfast and it must be busy by the amounts of boots outside.I was staying in the family accomodation in the owners daughters bedroom,she wasn't there though.Gordon stayed at his son's house which was about 8 miles away,he was hoping to walk the next day but had 3 inches of raw skin on the ball of his foot and I am not sure if he will come back
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
#7
Friday 30th April over breakfast met the 8 walkers who were staying at the B and B they were all solicitors or police and they were trying to get info from me about the walk,one was blind which I was shocked because some of those crags are really steep and exposed how could they do it,incredible and it humbles you when you think of how hard it is to do it,just imagine how hard doing it blind,or guiding someone that is blind.Gordon turned up and set off before me because he was afraid of slowing me and it took me 2 hours to catch him up,15 miles of hard slog all on Tarmac following the River Tyne,quite good going thru the middle of Newcastle but really slow from there,arrived at 4pm at the end Segedunum Fort another 7 hours walk.Gordon's wife was waiting and took me to my accommodation a pub called Dorset Arms in Wallsend,it was OK but it is a pub and full of Geordies who have a way of looking at you as if you are a Sunderland supporter,first man I chatted to was from Kent,Borstal near Medway and he told me he came up here for a holiday 28 years ago and hasn't gone back.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
#8
In Summary West to East has its advantages wind behind you but I think East to West is slightly easier more downhill,but it is a really stunning walk and I am glad I had the chance to walk it,the accommodation was brilliant and the distance were challenging but about right although 5 days is tough but I would do it again,do you want to come next year!?
John Goodwin
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
#9
You done fab
John and the answer to your question at the end no i will leave it to the experts aka you John
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#10
Well done John and thank you for your write-up.
It may be an obvious question, but do you get blisters because the footwear is not fitting well, or not good quality or would you get blisters anyway, just from the shear level of walking ?
Thanks again John - I've not forgot the tenner (I bet you haven't either !)
Roger
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
#11
Roger I usually get blisters but I had done alot of practise walking and before hand had soaked my feet in Surgical Spirit,but because 84 miles is such along way and for 2 of the days you are in fact scrambling up hills that are steep and hard on the feet it is also the sheer amount of walking.I expected to be on my hands and knees and in fact I was alot better than that,the reason is that the first 2 days and the last day was walking mainly on tarmac so I walked in trainers while on days 3 and 4 the walking boots came out because of the terain and the need for extra suppotr in the ankle area.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!