Reflections

Having worked hard in preparation for this walk, there was every chance that we could have been disappointed by it; especially with one of the party having walked Wainwright's incredible Coast to Coast walk a couple of years previously. However, this was not the case at all.

The walk was a lot tougher than we had expected, but that was actually welcome. We think that it's fair to say that 4 days is not enough time in which to do the walk comfortably and we would have liked to have had some more time to explore the villages and the remains that we walked past. Indeed, the walk was full of historical interest and the views were often incredible, particularly around Housesteads and coming into Bowness.

It may be worth suggesting that for all the non-purists out there, the first day could be left out without too much lost. It is hard going over tarmac and not very attractive. There is some interesting architecture but not enough to warrant 12 miles of tarmac stomping. That said, we are glad that we did it all, but there would be no harm done in starting at Heddon-On-The-Wall instead.

We found the whole experience very enjoyable; the trail was, on the whole, brilliantly sign-posted and we had to do very little navigation of our own. The accommodation that we used was fantastic and the public transport system seemed very good indeed - there is a dedicated bus service for the trail which starts from early April. What was particularly rewarding was the friendliness of other walkers; everyone had time to stop and chat and to give recommendations of places to stay or eat.

So that was Hadrian's Wall Path - a justly popular trail through beautiful countryside, and a worthy start to our BlogWalking.

The Walk Itself: 13th April 2007: Day 4½

Cramming our holidays brim-full, we had various commitments to meet in between Day 4 and Day 4½ (not least the Wainwrights - http://blogwalkers-wainwrights.blogspot.com and the preparations for the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge - http://blogwalkers-yorkshirethreepeaks.blogspot.com). Nonetheless, we were fully recovered when we returned to Carlisle for the final stint.

Starting where we'd left the path at Eden Bridge at lunchtime, we continued our trek Westwards. As at Newcastle, where the trail passes through a city it passes through some less pleasant areas, but out of Carlisle and along the river Eden was very nice walking. Again, the sun was out for us:

Despite the previous day's trip up Scafell Pike, our legs were much fresher and we kept a steady 3 mph. Departing from the Eden, the path passes through some lovely villages - Grinsdale, Beaumont and Burgh-by-Sands.

Burgh (pronounced "Bruff") bears mention for keeping us hungry... We'd failed to bring a lunch, confident of finding something on the way, but by Burgh there had been nothing and our stomachs were sorrowed to see the Greyhound Inn closed and the Post Office (marked on the Harvey map) non-existant or impossibly hidden.

We drew lots to see whose arm would be first for the pot, but fate stepped in to help us as we toiled along the arrow-straight road from Burgh to Drumburgh:

Two small boys leapt from a disused shack and offered to sell us crisps. We restrained ourselves from being unreasonable (what, no sandwiches?), made the purchase and headed on. As far as the self-service canteen at Grange Farm where we supplemented the crisps with cake, ice-cream and chocolate. Day 4½ was not shaping up to be a healthy day.

After Drumburgh the miles fell away under enthusiastic feet and at each successive village we were pleasantly surprised at the time we'd taken. Glasson was pleasant but we resisted the draw of the Highland Laddie and marched on to Port Carlisle where we were badly bored by a well-meaning local. But we didn't mind as the views along the Solway coast were spectacular:

The finish post of Bowness-in-Solway came into sight as the sun began to set:

- and we ended our walk across the country in the lovely village of Bowness. Here they do mark the end of the trail - with a nice surprise which you will find out for yourself.

Finally, dinner in the homely King's Arms with the Fellrunner who came to retrieve us. Good food and Jenning's ale, and somehow the landlord guessed we were Hadrian's Wallers and gave us certificates without us even asking...

Distance: 15 miles on Day 4½ and 86 in total.

The Walk Itself: 5th April 2007: Day 4

We had a lengthy sleep and a good breakfast and felt better for walking a sensible distance on Day 3. But the enlarged foot of one BlogWalker and olive-sized blisters covering the small toes of the other suggested that walking would still be a painful experience.

Doing without a packed lunch lightened our packs a little, but the planned 26 miles was firmly out of the question. After another council-of-war, we decided that 86 miles in four days was too ambitious and we'd enjoy Day 4 better if we split it into two.

So it was decided, we would walk to Carlisle in the morning (12 miles), and return later in the Easter break to finish the remaining 14 miles one afternoon. 4½ days for 86 miles still being respectable - even with the bus interlude... We set off reinvigorated into a misty morning:

Pleasant cross-country walk past farms, a heron and a donkey, and the day warmed up as we continued on. Our legs were soon aching again and we took advantage of the reduced distance to stop at Crosby Lodge hotel for tea and sandwiches in their beautiful garden in the sun:

Highly recommended for scenery and sandwich fillings.

Continuing our relaxed pace and our share of the luck, we got into Carlisle just in time for the four o'clock train back to Whitehaven. We staggered up the hill to Glenfield and had relaxing baths while a slap-up evening meal was prepared for us.

A thoroughly enjoyable day; missing the fantastic scenery of Day 3, but without the up-ing and down-ing that fantastic scenery usually entails. We did come across one puzzle - a message scratched into the sand by some Path walker:

- which seems to say "POD". A message from aliens? Leave a comment if you have any clues.

Distance: 12 miles (all by foot).

The Walk Itself: 4th April 2007: Day 3

Awoke to feel unexpectedly achy; the long miles the day before, lack of bath and a reasonably late night meant that our bodies hadn't fully recuperated. However, full on a massive breakfast and cheered on by the sun, we set off back up to the Roman fort at Housesteads where we had left off the day before.


Despite it being sunny, the wind was icy cold and we were soon wearing everything that we had with us. For the first 6 miles it was up and down over a number of hills, leaving us exhausted. Adding aching feet to the combination of weary limbs and heavy packs, we took a full three hours to walk the first three miles - but the views were fantastic:






However, as the day wore on so did the blisters and the swollen feet and the planned 19 miles (on top of the 41 miles already walked) started to take on an unpleasant aspect. Tiredness stops increased in frequency, and we had a lengthy lie down in the sun at Cawfields quarry - in the company of numerous frogs and a duck which had the lake to himself:






We increased the pace as far as the Roman Army Museum, but knees, toes and spirits were feeling bruised. After a soul-searching discussion which centred on the key points that: a) this was meant to be a holiday and b) holidays are meant to be enjoyable, we decided an alternative plan was necessary.


Our eagle-eyed team spotted a bus timetable and the plan was laid. We would walk the next three miles to Gilsland and bus the rest of the way - clocking up 12 walking miles and seven bus miles. As Bill Bryson says, the secret of a long-distance walk is knowing when to stop.


The thought of motorised transport cheered us considerably and we did the next three miles at a respectable 3 mph, pausing only to snap Thirlwall Castle:





At Gilsland the luck continued, with a (no-charge) cash machine and ice-cream freezer in the post-office and a sunny sit-down waiting for the bus. Disappointingly, the bus didn't go direct to the Centurion Inn, so we alighted at Brampton and got a taxi the rest of the way.


At the Centurion we sat quietly while our limbs calmed themselves and then ate an excellent dinner in the company of the pub's cat and washed down the food with Timothy Taylor's Landlord on tap.

Distance: 19 miles (seven by bus...)

The Walk Itself: 3rd April 2007: Day 2

We awoke with a remarkable lack of aches and pains and had a very hearty breakfast, settled the bill and headed out with no packed lunch...The weight saving was a blessing but it left us prey for torture from the off.

We had more weather than yesterday - grey and drizzly for much of the morning with a fairly consistent wind. To buy us luck, we gave the bananas, which the Ironsign owner had freely given, to a pair of young lads who were camping the wall and looked particularly hungry and forlorn as the first shop they had passed was shut and they had no food, except for a strange looking cake.

We progressed at a fine pace, still both feeling strong and free of pain. It was far better walking, with nice scenery and countryside under foot. The first crushing blow came when we arrived at the St Oswalds-On-The-Wall tea shop and found it CLOSED! Dreams of sitting and warming our bones to the tune of tea and cake were dashed.

Disheartened, the walk to Chollerford became a slog with us failing to leave the route to inspect a section of the wall, owing to a lack of interest. Thankfully, the tea shop at Chollerford was open and excellent and we refreshed and warmed ourselves before tackling the final slog up to Houseteads. There was some more wall-poking opportunities and, at times, we found ourselves actually on the wall, without meaning to!

After 20 miles, with 3 to go, we were very tired and had aching legs; there were cows which needed to be chased away from a wall stile and we struggled to appreciate the beautiful scenery heading up to the Roman Fort (will return to take it in more!). However, we finally made it to Beggar Bog farm house which was absolutely fantastic - friendly with beautiful views.

The landlady had organised a taxi to The Milecastle Inn where we had a fine meal, nearly spent the taxi money and headed back for a peaceful night's sleep.

Total distance: 24 miles (23 on the path + 1 to Beggar Bog)

The Walk Itself: 2nd April 2007: Day 1

Everything had gone suspiciously according to plan. We arrived at Glenfield Guest House the night before and were up at 5.20 in the morning with a taxi booked to take us to Whitehaven Train station at 6.10. The train was waiting for us when we arrived and we were soon on our way to Carlisle. We had a nice cup of tea and danish in a Victorian tea-room at Carlisle train station and then caught the 8.30 train to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. There were beautiful views from the train of wonderful countryside and newly born lambs.

After completing tasks revolving around renewing passports, we bought some breakfast baps and caught the Metro to Wallsend. We began the walk at 11.20.

It was a disappointment to learn that there was nothing to technically mark the start and our amusing plan of pretending to add our names to the list of centurion wall-builders on the official stone was thwarted by it being locked behind an enormous fence.

A long walk through Newcastle began the trail and there were some decidedly dodgy areas which had to be walked through. However, the two dodgy parts were interrupted by a lovely section along the Tyne where we saw 7 bridges and St Peter's Marina which were all lovely. There were also some very interesting sculptures along the way.

It became much more pleasant when we reached Tyne Riverside Contry Park where there was plenty of seating for weary walkers, as well as toilets and an ice-cream van - yay. We sat and had our lunch and rested our tired legs. It was then cross-country and up-hill to Heddon-On-The-Wall where we stopped for a drink at The Swan; this was also our first opportunity to have a poke at the wall as there was a good section of it still standing.

We then carried on across country to Ironside where we had a fantastic meal, a warm bath and a deep sleep in a warm bed.

Distance: 17 miles

Dartmoor: 17 March 2007

We awoke to disappointing weather after a week of glorious sunshine. However, undaunted, we set off to Shipley Bridge with a mind to complete a 10.5 mile walk across Dartmoor.

Although Mr BlogWalker had walked in Dartmoor before, this was the first proper Dartmoor adventure for me, and I was very excited. We were joined by our veteran BlogWalker who we had jouneyed down to Plymouth to see for Mothering Sunday (and for her brilliant potatoes).

So, we parked up at Shipley Bridge with most of Devon and set off up a stony path and onto the 'Moors'. We followed a wall for sometime before escaping onto the wilderness. The track took us up to Spurrell's Cross and onto the Tramway which had previously hauled men and materials in trucks to the Red Lake China clay works.

It was cold but bearable on the moors and, for me, it was brilliant to see so much history in such a wild and desolate place.

We followed the tramway alongside boundary stones which marked the line between the parishes of Ugborough and Harford. This led us up to Three Barrows, from where there were fantastic views, and then to the ruins of miners' houses and the disused pit of Leftlake Mires where we had a heartly lunch.

There was then a long stretch following the tramway before we headed off past many ruined buildings. We took a detour to Petre's Cross where we met a man looking concerned about some expected school children. Petre's Cross had lost its arms when peatcutters had taken them to use as a lintel for a fireplace in 1847.

Having admired the cross, we took a track onto a grass tramway which made for a beautiful and easy-going path back down to Shipley Bridge.

In all, a beautiful walk with a lot to see.

The walk was courtesy of Country Walking's Down Your Way series (March 2005: Follow That Tram!).