sehenderson.com

Sam had to get up prompt-ish at 7.30 as he was to go with Dave, Gary and Ian to collect the cars from the hotel in Newcastle. The original idea was for us all to go back there, but Sam said there was no point hauling our stuff all the way over there. So after a sleepy breakfast, I washed, packed my bag up, and went back to bed to watch the Saturday morning food programs.

They all made good time though, and at midday with Drew, Gary, Ant, Dave, Jane, Iain we said our goodbyes and went off on our separate ways home. Sam and I popped into town to get some lunch first before heading off for the very long drive back to Hemel Hempstead down the M6.

I’d forgotten that part of the M6 goes through the Lake District and is beautiful to watch even from inside a car. We passed places where I knew friends would be: Kendel, Preston, and thought of visiting people but honestly we were just to weary and had the prospect of a load of washing as well as a bunch of unpacking! I did get to drive part of the way which almost never happens on long journeys, but then Sam was that sleepy and had done the round trip between Carlisle and Newcastle too!

Once home, there was takeaway and lounging and the sad realisation that our duvet and pillows had gotten damp We made do with sofa cushions and blankets and decided to buy new bedding the next day as we needed it anyway and now we had a set we didn’t mind dragging out camping when we did it again!

It didn’t take long for me to start missing people. I’d been kindly provided with a voice recording of Ewes phrases and there were photos/videos to see but it wasn’t quite the same. Now that the aches have gone and my feet are back to normal, I am thinking about the next one and how I would probably do it all over again, but differently next time (see below).

This last week we each received a lovely cloth badge from The Crimson Moon and a lovely thank you card from Gary. The only thanks I really needed was the wonderful time I had on the walk.

So I started writing these entries to try and capture some of the things I remembered before they completely leaked out of my brain but also to share some wisdom or lessons learned with anyone who might want to do National Trail’s Hadrian’s Wall walk:

• Stop at Harrow On The Wall on day 1: 20 miles on the first day was just too much! The misunderstanding here I think was from guidebooks and map measurements but it was an innocent mistake.
• The length between Chollerford and Wall Town quarry needs to be done over two days really because of the ascending and descending nature of it.
• Gators: they don’t cost a lot and really are essential when walking across fields in a part of the country known for it’s rain!
• Decent cameras may be heavy, but the views are worth it.

And the general stuff I came to realise:

• Snacks are essential and don’t forget to buy any and if you do be grateful to the people who brought plenty and shared
• Even if I didn’t need the volume of the bigger rucksack, the better support around the middle would have been helpful.
• I actually enjoy this walking/outdoors malarkey. I hate being wet, but the right equipment, next time, will help with that.
• Don’t forget to tip the Tiky Taxi driver.

Am now wondering what to do for my next challenge. An adapted version of the three peaks, where the driving/sleeping between them isn’t counted in the time frame? But this will have to wait till 2014. I have a wedding to plan!

This had been on the floor of one of the back sections
Photo by Kel

Unfortunately, the rain did not stop at all over night and the poor Crimson Moon took a battering from that and the gusts that rumbled through. Even the ear plugs did not help with this and I had the worst nights sleep of the week.

When we awoke it was found that even moving things into the centre hadn’t helped everyone. Sam and I were lucky to be in on of the centre-most compartments, but a few of our items did get soggy. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said at the guys who’d had the back compartment. Kel’s kit was saturated as was Andy’s. Still, at least we had the prospect of solid roofs and real beds to keep us going through the day. Just one day!

Tiky Taxi dropped us back by the church, and on the way we’d pondered our tactics. The first part of the walk was due to take us across fields a little way but with the quagmire horror or yesterday, and with a passing tractor driver informing us the path was virtually flooded, we decided to divert via tarmac road instead

Everyone was carrying at least one injury now. I’d had to put my old boots back on as my new ones were caked and wet on the inside but the damage was done to my right foot anyway. Ankles, knees, egos…all a little bruised.

Cheer up, Dave, it’s not that much further!.
Photo by Kel

Now this bit of the journey was well and truly flat BUT we only had 10 MILES TO GO. We mostly walked through tiny hamlet villages. One with a dyke that was virtully overflowing. In fact I think it was at some point, so a local with a bucket was trying to stop it. Thankfully it wasn’t rainy today, just overcast. At every opportunity, today, we stopped at cross road sign posts to take photos of us with how far we had to go.

The exciting bit of this day was crossing the salt marshes. We’d had to check the tide times to make sure we wouldn’t be washed away and sure enough, when we showed up, the road was clear but since it WAS a road, we’d taken to shouting at the rest of the group for oncoming cars. Also I’d not seen a marsh before so the site of it was new. The novelty wore off though and all there was to see was ongoing road, the edges of scotland and…swamp.

Gary asked us what we thought of him right at that moment
Photo by Gary

In the middle of this road we stopped for photos, of course. Scotland was giving us the gift of 3G signal so I used it to update some folk on our progress. My Dad had been particulally interested, him being a bit of a wanderer himself. I was also getting work colleagues who’d kindly sponsored in on the action with FourSquare. Ah technology.

At the end of the salt marsh road there was…more road. A pub was promised in a guidebook. Lies! But luckily there was a building, it’s sole purpose seeming to be a stop/picnic point and WC for walkers! We stopped for a short conversation with a lady about our walk with her made dog circling the yard. Not much for him to do out that ways I suspect other then chase the rather sodden looking cattle. You’d be sodden to if you were made to tread through swamp.

As far as I can make out we came and went through Port Carlisle pretty promptly, walking past a masseur’s sign that was taunting me! Only now have I just remembered my other (whiny) complaint of the walk: a sore shoulder! Serves me right for having a tiny pack, though it did carry everything I needed. What was the point of overloading!

Last town!.
Photo by ?

We were on the home straight when we were joined by a smiling pretty lady who I’d correctly assumed was the absolute saint that has to put up with the caffeinated, sugar-powered (3)5 year old. We’d had a call from Iain and Susie and they weren’t far off. We’d got to the edge of Bowness when we saw them and frantically got Susie out of the van so she could start as she’d begun! Iain ran ahead taking snaps and when we’d paused to let Gary go ahead first, we got a head shake in reply. And then, finally, our destination! The Kings Arms pub for our last stamp and hopefully a beverage or two.

It was shut when we got there but due to brilliant timing, the landlady returned from shopping and quickly opened the door before we were about to head off. So in we filed to pat each other on the back, have some final words, and take a rest before, some of us, went their separate ways.

Finally! The pub!
Photo by Iain

T-shirts were purchased, pints were brought and guzzled, photos were snapped and positive words were exchanged and jokes were revisited.  I still need to send the passport off to get the pin badge to add to my mini collection.

Eventually time was getting on. Sara had a train to catch, Kel had a family to see, and we had a hotel to check in to! Gary had booked Iain, Susie, Drew, Jane, Dave, Ant (in place of a poor chap who couldn’t make it in the end), Sam and myself into The County Hotel back in Carlisle so we could rest up before journeying back home on the morrow.

Our room on the third floor was a welcome prospect though annoyingly our lift was out of order and because we had all our stuff from the Tiky Taxi Trailer to take up meant the physical work was not done yet! Once in, baths were had and some major relaxing was done before dinner at 7. I fell asleep watching some daytime TV show and was annoyed to be awoken but glad because I was very hungry!

Drinks then dinner and trying to ignore the raucous partying of the ‘experienced’ (yes I am using that word again) bingo goers next door. No, I mean it, they were making a lot of noise and dancing on tables. At least this helped me stay awake through eating but as soon as pudding was done I could be polite no longer and practically ran to my bed. And out like a light I went with only one or two interruptions from some of Carlisle’s pub clientele.

Some early morning pretend Ski-ing
Photo by Iain Sewell

It’s about here my memory for start/stop points becomes fuzzy. I’m grateful, now, that people had been liberal with their photo taking as it’s really helped jog my memory for landmark names. I wish I’d done more of it!

We started in two different groups today. Ant and Drew decided to start back at Cawfield’s Quarry, but most of us skipped 3 miles ahead to Walltown quarry: roughly were Kel had stopped the previous day. That might have been a bit of a cheat, but one I was grateful for given how horrible my feet had felt the previous day. I’d limped around the campsite and decided to risk wearing the new ones today. I’m glad I did! It’s obvious now that not only had my old boots had bad splits in the toe leather, but ankle and foot support was also badly worn out. It was also worth starting there as we were starting to lag in pace a little. Everyone was having their problems with feet/knees/legs.

It was yet another clear, sunny day, though icy in the morning. The guidebooks had said the hard part for heights was over and we were hopeful for no more climbs. The climbs felt easier on my feet then descents had the previous day, for some unknown reason, so didn’t much mind.

Thirlwell Castle
Photo by Sara Wingham

We started fairly flat, wondering past the ruin of Thirlwell Castle and across a train track, stopping for photos, and through a bit of a hamlet. It wasn’t long before we came upon a steep-ish ascent into some ruins. We stopped here for more photos and breath catching before heading on over a shiny new bridge that looked out of place for the ruins.

We followed more of the wall, eventually, though the visible bits were starting to lessen once again as we headed out. Soon we found Birdoswald Roman Fort/museum, another one of the stamping points for our National Trail passports. We also stopped for tea and, in my case, a lemonade!

We reckon we’d given Drew and Ant plenty of time to catchup, and continued along what was mostly dirt path that got narrower and narrower. The ground was less muddy underfoot, thankfully, but the path followed a road and there wasn’t much to see. At one point we had to dive into the bushes at the side to let a coachful of experienced walkers meander passed, some making witty comments about age as they went past. Did make me chuckle.

Our wonderful support crew
Photo by Iain Sewell

The lunch stop wasn’t far away, and Ant and Drew caught us up just before we reached it, ahead of schedule. There were more ruins here, ‘Banks East Turret’, and quite a nice view of the countryside, so we sat and awaited the Crimson Moon in the sunshine.

I’ll be honest – the landmarks came few and far between in the afternoon. In fact with that ‘facilities’ came few and far between to, much to the discomfort of some. We’d made excellent progress and were ahead of schedule so when we go to the initial stopping point, Brampton I think, we decided to head on. Most of the afternoon were a combination of road and bridleways, blissfully flat but not much to see.

Eventually, we were to start hearing the low hums of aeroplanes from Carlisle airport, which housed smaller planes as opposed to airliners so when one landed nearby, we weren’t completely deafened! It wasn’t far from here that we reached our stopping point at a Laversdale busstop and since some clever person had contacted Crimson Moon Tiki Taxi, it wasn’t long before pick up.

I’m not sure how this came about, but Gary, who’d been helping Iain and Susie hold the fort, was out waiter for the evening. He even draped a clean tea towel over his arm. We each had our dinners brought to us. I definitely wasn’t complaining!

The cloud coverage in the afternoon meant a milder night and evening for us. There was more singing tonight, with some members of the party being introduced to the cat song for the first time, much to their amusement.

Mileage for the day: approx 15 miles for me, 18 miles for Ant and Drew.

Many members of the party were struggling with there energy levels so it was decided that Iain would shuttle some of us to the 3 mile point some of the party had reached the previous day.

The aim was to get an 0800 start. Kel and Sam decided they would do the 3 mile hill walk and make sure all our. National Trail passports were stamped at Chesters. They left at 0730 and we ended up setting off at 0815 in the van.

This photo depicts the undulations nicely, I feel!
Photo by Sara Wingham

Today, having thought I would not need them, I decided to borrow some walking poles to see if this would ease the pain off my feet. It wasn’t a magical cure, but if helped a fair bit.

Twas another cold but clear morning and initially across fields. Despite the sunny, warm weather of the previous days the land was still recovering from floods and heavy rains of the week before and was frequently soft and even boggy in places. We were to come across many signs about erosion from walkers, but a lot of the paths had also been trodden across by lifestock. Still we did what we could and spread out trying to find the drier/firmer bits of the path.

Today we were to see a lot more of the wall and fortifications, the first being the remains of a temple of Mithras. It’s odd because there were a few buildings like this surrounded by fields of cow and/or sheep. It was on this day that Kel discovered that saying phrases such as ‘What are Ewes Looking At’, in a scouse accent, it was guaranteed to make me chuckle. A lot. It was to become a catchphrase for the group.

A very steep descent here. I took this one slowly!
Photo by Kel

Another change in territory was the undulations – this part of the walk involved many steep climbs and descents in quick succession. In some ways this made it the most fun and the most beautiful – the height meant wonderful views of the surrounding countryside. One of our rest points was at a trig point, the highest point we would go but the best views of the walk.

The undulations had split the group again so when I got to Housesteads Roman Fort with Sara and Kel, we had to wait for the others to trickle in. This was where we were to meet The Crimson Moon for lunch, though we had to walk a bit further to the car park (1 mile!). On the way, Gary brought a much appreciated round of ice creams. We also got yet another stamp for our National Trail passports.

At lunch, Gary decided to go back to basecamp with Iain and Susie to help out at basecamp as his knees and feet were really suffering. It was a shame to see him go, but health comes first.

Sycamore Gap
Photo by Kel

Shortly after lunch we came one of most spectacular and well known bits of the wall: Sycamore Gap as seen in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Looking down to it was a little dizzying! This section was particularly picturesque so many photos were taken.

My feet were really beginning to hurt now. We’d figured out that a crease in one of the boots was pressing into my ankle so loosening that helped. As we descended more and more steep narrow pathways the worse my feet got and I started to lag behind everyone else. Eventually made it to the quarry though and I don’t think I could have gone further.

Kel at Cawfield’s Quarry
Photo by…? In Kel’s collection.

This was the first of two possible stop points we’d planned for the day, the other being 3 miles away but the light was failing. I could not have gone another step and I’m sure some of the others felt the same. Kel being Kel, stubborn and with more energy then a caffeinated, sugar-powered 5 year old, decided to run on ahead on his tod. Craziness.

This evening, we were to spend the night at the imaginatively named ‘Hadrian’s Wall Campsite’ near Haltwhistle and very nice it is too. Very good and clean bathrooms and a warm laundry room and bunkhouses in case of washouts! Gary, having seen what it took to put up the marquee and prep for us all, he cancelled the campsites for the other nights to make this one our base with Iain doing shuttles in the van.

As it was yet another hard hitting day, not much happened between dinner and bed. For me, this had been the most tough day, physically, and I was about ready to chop my legs off.

End of day mileage: approx 12 miles. No data for ascent/descent unfortunately.