Years climbing high mountains hadn't caused JOHN G DWYEReven one blister but Hadrian's Wall proved a humbling experience
SO YOU would like the bragging rights from a memorable outdoor challenge but think the camino too long, Kilimanjaro too high and the Inca Trail too expensive? Then a hike by Britain’s longest monument may be just your ticket.
Built aeons ago by soldiers – who surely drew the short straw when it came to overseas postings – Hadrian’s Wall is a mesmeric line of stone, created to protect the northern reaches of the Roman Empire.
For difficulty or distance it isn’t, however, the Appalachian Trail and so you won’t need to ditch both spouse and job in order to complete it. And without wishing to make molehills of mountains, the ascents aren’t really so bad either, since Hadrian never rises beyond 345m.
The wall saunters a manageable 135km coast-to-coast across England’s slender neck and is eminently completable in a week. Certainly it seemed my ticket to chase the zeitgeist when I nonchalantly accepted the west/east route as a fundraiser for a special needs school.
The walk began with a passport stamping (see panel) before a pleasant if unspectacular 20kms from Bowness-on-Solway to Carlisle with the River Eden as a close relation.
Beyond Carlisle, the landscape became increasingly captivating but eerily quiet as we passed through a series of “Tesco bombed villages” where every pub, shop and cafe had fallen victim to the relentless advance of industrial scale retailing.
Eventually the wall proper appeared and cantered with assured directness through a rich, rolling landscape to Birdoswald Roman Fort. On foot the countryside returns to its true magnitude and by the time we completed the 30km to our BB near Gilsland, my feet burned and I’d had more than enough for the day.
Next morning it was into the moorlands proper. Now we encountered some of Hadrian’s finest – a roller coaster ride through the best of British landscape. Castles, Roman forts and brownstone farmhouses slid past and views opened up across the empty lands of the Scottish borders.
At Windshields Crag, which is Hadrian’s highest point, my feet ached but I hardly noticed for this was the moment of epiphany.
Here we stopped moving away from the Irish Sea and began descending instead to the North Sea on the most famous part of the walk by Steel Rigg Crags, Sycamore Gap and Crag Lough to finish at Housesteads Fort.
That night in the isolated grandeur of Steel Rigg Farm, I discovered my feet were blistered. Years climbing high mountains in many countries hadn’t caused even one blister but now I had been humbled by a long distance walk.
What can’t be cured must be endured and so next day was about squaring shoulders and heading out on a morning of fretful skies and no birdsong. This only emphasised the eerie emptiness of the landscape around Sewingshields Crags. Then we descended and my feet improved on softer meadows as we followed a long uneventful section beside the A69 which led pleasantly enough to our overnight in the quintessentially English, George Hotel, and Chollerford.
Next day the moorlands were behind and it was lowland pasture as we headed for Heddon-on-the-Wall and the first sign of the metropolis to come. Beyond it was a pleasant ramble by the River Tyne to Newburn but then, as we passed through nondescript suburbs, it bucketed down and I just wanted to finish. Even the tastefully restored riverfront at Newcastle went by almost unnoticed.
We just ploughed on through the deluge picking up a cycle path into Wallsend and were grateful to finally finish at the Swan Hunter shipyard.
Later, after a meal amid the frenetic hedonism of downtown Newcastle, I couldn’t wait for bed.
Next morning, however, I awoke fully refreshed and immediately felt a little sad – there was nowhere to walk today.
HOW LONG?It's possible to go coast-to-coast in five days, as we did by walking an average 27km per day. But this is too fast and also increases the possibility of blisters. A more leisurely seven days walking, with a manageable 19km per day, gives ample time to banquet on the superb views.
HOW SHOULD I BOOK?Go with a walking tour operator who'll arrange accommodation, maps, guidebook and ensure your overnight bag is moved from guesthouse to guesthouse so you need only carry a light day-sack. Contours (contours.co.uk) is one of several reputable operators providing this service.
GETTING THEREThere are flights to Newcastle Airport from Dublin with Ryanair, from Cork with Jet2 and from Belfast International with Easyjet. A special Hadrian's Wall bus operates during the summer and stops off at the main sites along the wall.
PROOFFrom May to October you carry a Hadrian's Wall "passport", which is stamped at six passport stations along the route.
EQUIPMENTRaingear, trekking boots, warm clothing and trainers for the tarmac sections at each end. Packed lunches are provided by guesthouses.