Walking the wall 2018

We left Segedunum museum to begin the walk around 10:30am after a funny chat with the museum guide who had no interest in history but kept telling us where the pubs were! The guide at the museum commented that we were walking the trail the wrong way, which I knew, but I was glad to be walking from the urban sprawl towards the beautiful coastline at Bowness on Solway. The initial three miles of the trail were reminiscent of the Rodwell trail in Dorset, with added urban detritus. The Geordies clearly have a love of building bridges, they are everywhere. As the trail meandered towards the banks of the Tyne we admired the expanse of the river and the remnants of it's industrial past (and the shopping trolleys and graffiti). As the trail headed towards the city, the threatening rumble of thunder brought a quick burst of rain. Hiding under a tree and grabbing a waterproof jacket we carried on. I met a number of Roman walkers - very friendly, a group of men from Durha...

The journey to Newcastle from Weymouth via Carlisle was about 360 miles hampered slightly by the closure of the M6. 12 hours after we started we rolled into the Travelodge at the quayside near to the Gateshead Millennium bridge. We had dropped the car in Carlisle with my cousin Angie and caught the cross-country train to Newcastle. This is a great way to see the countryside we will be hiking; meandering through remote villages and pasture. The railway follows the banks of the river Tyne, which in parts is shallow enough for  fisherman to wade in to cast their lines. It gradually widens as you approach Newcastle. The quayside of Newcastle is an eclectic mix of traditional and modern styles; it is vibrant and energetic and a great opportunity for a night out. I'd never been to Newcastle before and really didn't know what it would be like. It was friendly and fun and a great spot for sitting by the Tyne having a chat and a drink, or having a walk down to look a...

In 2013 I walked a section of Hadrian's wall with a lovely team of ladies from Weymouth to raise money for the British Heart foundation. It was a great trip but left me wanting to explore the area more, as it is a location I know little about but was struck with it's natural beauty. So the idea to walk coast to coast came to light.  A good friend Bev loaned me a book on 'the wall'; a brutal Ultra event taking place over 24 hours. I considered it (briefly) but thought a more leisurely pace would allow the visitor time to enjoy the surroundings. The itinerary transpired from reading the Cicerone guide (Walking Hadrian's wall ISBN 978-1-85284-557-5): Day 1 - Newcastle Quayside via Segedunum Roman fort to Heddon (18 miles) Day 2 - Heddon to Chollerford (15.5 miles) Day 3 - Chollerford - Gilsland (16 miles) Day 4 - Gilsland to Carlisle (18 miles) Day 5 - Carlisle to Bowness on Solway (14 miles) Accommodation for this trip is mainly in B&B...