Day 32: 1200 mile walk from Cornwall to Caithness, UK

Saturday, 12 June 2010

Our group of Penine Way challengers left Greenhead together at 8am eager to get our first glimpse of Hadrian's Wall. It had been good to have some company in camp for the last couple of days but with some reluctance I was going to have to leave Stuart and Dave, the postal workers from Crawley, and Steve and Phil the maintenance engineers from Nottingham, to their own challenges and press on ahead. We walked together to the first remains of the Wall and then I said my goodbyes. I had 25 miles to cover over some very up-and-down terrain so I lengthened my stride and pushed hard for Bellingham. I followed the wall for about 12 miles before the Penine Way turned north. A short detour to visit the roman fort half a mile further on and to have some lunch and I struck northward again.

In contrast to the ups and downs of the wall the path going north was relatively flat and passed through forest and open moor. By the middle of the afternoon I knew I was going to make Bellingham by 5.30pm so eased up on the pace and enjoyed a couple of 20 minute breaks. The weather had been good and my legs have been getting very accustomed to their task so that a 25 mile day on tough terrain no longer causes me to struggle.

A section of Hadrians Wall. Built by the Romans to keep out the marauding Picts from Brittannia. It is the largest Roman remain in existence stretching 73 miles from coast to coast across northern England. The picture is the remains of one of the Mile-castles. There were fortifications every mile along the wall where traffic could pass through. The wall is believed to have been about 4m high and painted white. It's incredible to think this was all achieved almost 2000 years ago by an army several thousand miles from their home.

Leaving Greenhead with my fellow Penine Way challengers. On the far left is Steve, to the rear is Dave and next to me is Phil. Stuart is taking the photo. We have all shared a few laughs in campsites on route and I will miss the cameraderie as I leave them behind.

Daily stats:

Start - Greenhead
Finish - Bellingham
Mileage - 24 miles / 39 km
Feeling - Fit
Sleeping - Bellingham campsite

That's all folks ;-)

This trek took place in 2010 before the wonderfulness of STEEM existed. I was trekking in aid of Naomi House Children's Hospice in Hampshire, England, and writing and posting the blog from my iPhone 3gs (so if you're wondering why the photo's aren't that good...) if you want to see the original blog it is here but I rather hope you choose to follow me instead. Thanks Steemians!