Hadrians Wall - the pain and the gain

Walkers
Richard Clowes, Veronica Richards, Henry Sale, Richard Sanders, Rebecca Seaman, Edmund Smith, Eve Watson, Will Young from Market Harborough, and Yan Gittins, Dan Harper from Worcester

The Hadrian’s Wall Challenge team has returned triumphant from Newcastle, with all 10 walkers completing the arduous trek from Bowness on Solway to Wallsend, ably supported by driver Robin Eyles and catering team Kate Thompson and Sarah Holmes.

Veronica Richards reports:

Saturday 6 June

The 10 walkers set out from Bowness at 3 pm on Saturday and covered 20 relatively easy miles to Crosby on Eden, following the line of the Wall which is a grassy mound at that stage. Saturday night was spent in the luxurious dormitories of ‘Bluebell Barn’ found for us by our accommodation research expert Holly Richardson. Here Kate Thompson and Richard Sanders’ wife Bridget prepared an excellent and much needed three course supper and a cooked breakfast the following morning and despite the limited supply of bathrooms (2) we were assembled ready to walk at 7 am on Sunday.

Sunday 7 June

Sunday proved the most testing day as we encountered the first remnants of Hadrian’s Wall proper and on to the central section which undulates over the granite crags of Whin sill. This involved scrambling over boulders and up and down a series of steep steps which severely tested joints and limbs already feeling the effect of relentless exercise. We limped down into Chollerton at 7 30 pm to a welcome pint, having covered a further 33 miles.

Accommodation that night was provided by friends and relations and we were able to soothe torn muscles in hot baths before a welcome supper at the home of Tim and Jane Sale nearby.

Monday 8 June

Monday morning saw us out on the trail again by 7 45 am and our anticipation of a downhill run home was soon put right by a series of steep grassy climbs before Newcastle finally came into sight and we began our descent to the riverside path that was to take us to the home straight. All 10 of us were limping in various ways with ailments ranging from sore backs to stomachs and all with over-used joints and footsoles. After a quick picnic in a park by the river we were photographed at our final drink stop near the Millennium bridge (see above).

The final four miles proved to be the most excruciating as we limped along the concrete riverside path, past the Swan Hunter shipyard and finally with a huge sense of relief and satisfaction we arrived at the Wallsend museum after a 31 mile day.

It was all we could do to board the minibus and our celebrations that night in the Marston Rattler were rather muted by extreme tiredness, but we all have a terrific sense of achievement and our sponsorship total which is approaching £10,000 certainly makes all the pain worthwhile.

Thank you to all those who supported us.

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