CYHA News

A late night celebrating the nuptials of Dave & Helen might not have been the best preparation for our mega hike, but somehow we all made it to the train station in time.

Our arrival in Newcastle was greeted by drizzly rain, but we headed out to Wallsend anyway to take our first steps along the route of Hadrian’s Wall. The western end of the walk is marked by the museum on the site of Segedunum roman fort, which includes a recreated roman bath house - and our first tea room. Five miles later and we were in the middle of Newcastle, admiring the bridges and taking in a little light dinner before heading back to the hostel.

Saturday was our first full day of walking, so we started off with an enormous YHA breakfast before heading back to where we had left the Tyne the night before. Unfortunately the weather was still rather grim, but it brightened up in time for us to enjoy our sandwiches at the Boathouse PH at Newburn.  A short detour from the path was the birthplace of George Stephenson, a quaint little cottage on the Wylam Waggonway worth a visit for the chocolate & beetroot cake, even if you’re not on an engineering pilgrimage.

A good night’s sleep at the Heddon on the Wall bunkhouse set us up for what was to be our longest day – a bone crunching 18 miles. We set off early and made it to our first tea room by 10am, so took good advantage having been advised that there were few loo stops en route. In spite of the path following the route of General Wade’s military road, unerringly straight, it was actually very pleasant. There were rolling green hills, hedgerows and our first views of real roman vallum (the ditch system that ran south of the wall), then we started to see bits of wall, all leading to the very impressive remains of the fort of Chesters. A round of takeaways completed the evening, but we didn’t really need the beer to send us all to bed early.

There was a certain amount of shuffling and groaning the next morning as we tested our stiff legs and feet, but a generous full English soon had us on the road. A shorter route today (thank goodness!), but much hillier, taking in some of the most spectacular parts of the walk (Limestone Corner, Housesteads, Craig Lough, Steel Rigg). This leg included the only bit of the route where you are still allowed to walk on the actual wall. Another pub meal and a half-hearted participation in the Lost Dog Quiz, but with stamina waning there was nothing for it but another early night.

It’s Tuesday: we say goodbye to Nigel, Maggie & James and having covered about 50 miles we get our first (and only) day off. We all decide to spend the day at Vindolanda, which was brilliant, then in the evening we were joined by John M as a surprise addition to the team.

Wednesday and we’re back on the trail, a relatively modest 10 miles so plenty of time for the Roman Army museum and a couple of tea stops before arriving at Birdoswald YH for Trudi’s steak pie and sticky date cake.

Thursday and the wall takes us under the flight path of a low-flying Hercules and out to Lanercost Priory (more excellent tearooms). Our destination for the night was Sandysike Bunkhouse, where we were staying in the converted dog house (nicer than it sounds, but it was converted for 8 and there were 10 of us). The local pub had recently closed its doors, but luckily the owners of the bunkhouse volunteered to provide dinner for a small fee. There was a touch of Fawlty Towers about the whole set up, but we got our beer in pewter tankards and our dinner in the baronial dining room.

We were woken the next morning by bugling water pipes for another day on the trail. From here on there wasn’t much roman stuff in evidence and the going was definitely easier, but by our last day on Saturday the weather had deteriorated and it was a rather soggy trudge up the Solway estuary to Bowness and the end of the walk.

I now need to go on another hike to loose all the weight I gained on this one. Hmm, quality tea shops.

Ali

For more pictures, see our blog.

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Thank you to everyone who sponsored us to walk Hadrian’s Wall. We succeeded in raising a total of £670 for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

  

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Dave and Helen on their wedding. Those of us who attended had a marvellous time, although it was a job to recognise people we normally see in boots and goretex. I’m still not sure why Dave & Helen chose not to spend their honeymoon with us on Hadrian’s Wall. What’s the attraction of all that sea and sunshine anyway?

Message received from Mr & Mrs Julian at Heathrow en route to Mauritius: "A big thank you to all who contributed to the travel vouchers, we were very touched by the generosity!"

 

 

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Housewarming

Thanks to Maggie & Nigel for hosting a fabulous canal side walk and housewarming barbecue. They even managed to arrange for a bit of sunshine. The Stort Navigation made great scenery and was just the thing to drum up an appetite for bangers and salad.