Forthcoming Events

What started as a flippant throw away remark one evening in the pub (where else?) started to snowball and before we knew it a small band of GUCH members were making their way from all around the country to meet up for what would be a week like most of us had never experienced before.

Way back in the dim and distant past somebody had made a remark about wanting to walk across the country. A few others expressed an interest, so plans were started. If we were going to carry through the mad idea it was also decided that we would use this opportunity to hopefully raise a couple of hundred pounds for GUCH. So the Hadrian's Wall sponsored walk was born.

SUNDAY 10TH - 5 MILES

After months of training, even longer planning and what seemed like even longer MSN meetings to get the details right the time had come for us to make our way to our first accommodation, Haughton North Farm in the village of Heddon on the Wall. The accommodation was two bunk rooms (a pair of bunk beds in each), with a spacious lounge and excellent kitchen facilities. Beth, Elizabeth, Gill & Vicki took one room, whilst Paul, Richard and I took the other. After first going and getting enough shopping to cover us for a couple of days we drove down into the centre of Newcastle. From here it was a short metro trip (local train) to Wallsend and the start of the walk. Sunday 10th June was a warm day and we were all in high spirits as we walked the 5 miles along the well paved path from Wallsend to the centre of Newcastle and the famous Tyne bridges. A quick drive back to the accommodation and it was time for a culinary master class from Paul. It's quite surprising (and edible) what you can do with some rice, vegetables and a few assorted beans. It was off to bed but I'm not sure whether it was anticipation of the first full days walk or Paul's cooking, but it took most of us some time to get to sleep.

MONDAY 11TH - 15 MILES

We were all up bright and early, breakfast was devoured and butties made for the day. Strangely the main conversation was not of what we expected of the day, but more of which room had the loudest snorer. The girls were adamant it was the boys, but we were just as convinced it was the girls. It was a debate that would rumble on for a couple days longer. After driving everybody down into the centre of Newcastle we started our walk where we had left off the night before. The aim of today was to walk the 15 miles back to our accommodation. The terrain was quite flat, yet today was hard because it was the hottest day of the year so far. We walked along the banks of the Tyne and slowly made our way out of the city centre and into the suburbs of Newcastle. Slowly the built up areas surrounding Newcastle gave way to open rolling countryside. We were still following the Tyne, but had to make plenty of stops as the heat of the day began to take its toll. Eventually we came to a small nature reserve and decided to have lunch whilst taking shade under a group of trees. Suitably refreshed we continued our course up the Tyne. After following the Tyne for about 13 miles it was time to part company. But just before we did there was a slight detour a few of us wanted to make. Whilst some took a well earned rest a few of us did a small detour to see the cottage were George Stephenson was born almost 226 years earlier to the day on 9th June 1781. It's now owned by the National Trust, but we were left slightly disappointed as its shut on Mondays! After re-joining the rest of the party we started the slow climb up the valley and away from the river. This was made all the harder by the heat, and we are all glad when we finally made the village of Heddon on the Wall. Our accommodation was now only a mile away, but first we had the small matter of a wall to look at. After 19 miles of walking this was our first bit of original wall. The accommodation was a welcome sight after the day's 15 miles of walking in the heat, and everybody wished that the following days would be a bit cooler. Whilst the two cars were rescued from the middle of Newcastle, Paul made his excellent Bean surprise for tea. The surprise....well there's no beans in it!

TUESDAY 12TH - 16 MILES

Today was longer than yesterday but we knew it was going to be harder for today the gradients started to get steeper as we were heading for the Pennines. We had all been concerned about how we would have coped with the hills and the heat, but we needn't have worried, for it was raining. What we didn't know at the time was that it would now rain solidly for the next 4 days. Two cars were taken to the end of the day's walk at the village of Wall. We had the added complication that we were also moving accommodation so on my return with the other two drivers my car was turned into our removal van and piled high with all the things we did not need for the day's walk. The car was left at the farm and we set off on our days walk. Today was always going to be a difficult day. It was the second full day's walk and most of us did not know how our bodies would react. There was not much of the wall to see today, we all knew that Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning were the best wall walking days, we just wanted to get there. The only thing to look forward to was the views and the low clouds made sure we did not see them either. The terrain started to get hillier as the distant path disappeared into the low lying clouds. Our frequent stops of the previous day were replaced with everyone voting to keep going so that we spent as little time as possible in the rain. We had done about 10 miles when Gill started to have problems (non heart related). Gill had only started walking 9 months earlier, so the fact she had walked about 30 miles before feeling any effects was a great achievement, however it was evident that she would struggle to finish the day. Part of our planning was to cope with these situations. There was a pub along the route that had been earmarked as a possible refuge. It was here that Gill sat back, warming in front of the fire, whilst the rest of us continued in the rain, which by this time had turned into a full on Pennine downpour. We were a couple of miles from the end of the walk when we got a call from Gill, the pub was shutting! Ah, something we hadn't planned on. Our plans, however, did include how to get 1 driver off the hill fast. Paul and myself walked ahead, well ran/jogged, to get to the two cars that had been parked at the end of the walk. I then drove to pick Gill up whilst Paul waited for the other walkers to finish the day's walk. I had just returned with Gill when the other walkers arrived. I was taken to get my car, whilst everybody went on to our night's accommodation, Barrasford arms camping barn. On my return I was greeted with the horrors that were the Barresford arms camping barn. It was a dark cramped room with 4 sets of metal bunk beds in. There were no kitchen facilities and it smelt. The 1 toilet and shower were in an outhouse that was not connected to the barn. There was not enough room to hang all out wet clothes, which as it dried added to the smell. We were all a bit cynical but there is nowhere else within a 5 mile radius to eat, except the pub that owned the barn. We did not have enough facilities to make tea or breakfast, so what should have been a cheap stop over turned out to be the most expensive night of the trip. Luckily we had only booked 1 night there.

WEDNESDAY 13TH - 15 MILES

The previous night was the first in which we were all sleeping in one room. The great snoring debate, which had gone on for a few days, was finally put to bed. We'll save their blushes, but it was agreed the loudest snorer was female! As the cars were packed to move on we were all happy to go out into the rain and turn our backs on what had been our accommodation for the night. We all had another reason to be happy about today. Today would be the hardest day of the walk, but the most rewarding. Today has the most up's and down's, but also the most miles next to the wall and a large roman fort, Housesteads.

Straight from the start we started to climb. We had gone about 1 mile before Gill had started to struggle with the terrain. As we knew today would be the hardest it was agreed she would miss today out. This would give her time to relax and recuperate. A suitable bus stop was located and Gill headed off for the shops in Hexham. We carried onward and upward. As we crossed the tops of the Pennines the terrain was very undulating. We were continually climbing and then loosing a few hundred feet. All the time the wall stayed at our side. When the clouds did lift we were left with stunning views across the open moor land to the hills in the distance. We could only wonder what a Roman centurion, who was used to the Mediterranean weather, thought of when he was stood gazing across the unforgiving moors with the wind and rain blowing straight into his face. After many hours of going up and down we finally made it to Housesteads. We made our way down to the visitors centre for a convenience stop and a well earned cup of tea. From here it was only a couple of miles to the cars at Steel Rigg. But it was a couple of miles of the same up's and down's.

When we reached the cars Elizabeth, Paul, Richard and Beth took one car and went shopping for food and pick Gill up whilst they were there. Vicki and myself took my car, which was full of bags, on to the camping barn at Bankshead. After the previous night's accommodation it was with some trepidation that we pulled up outside the camping barn. Our concerns were soon eased when we were greeted by the owner and shown around. We were to stay in two converted stables. The first stable had a simple kitchen in with a large table and chairs. A fridge was provided. Off to one side was the toilet and shower. The second stable had a raised floor in the stalls which we were to put our sleeping bags on. Heating was provided, as were plenty of places to hang our wet clothes. By the time the others arrived with the shopping we had emptied my car and hung all the wet clothes up. The smell that greeted the others makes you glad this page does not have scratch and sniff. After one of Paul's excellent bean surprise suppers I headed off to find Vicki's car. By the time we got to her car I was running low on fuel. We then headed for the nearest town to get fuel. The problem with the countryside is that everything is far apart. Added to that the first 4 petrol stations we came across were shut. By the time we found an open petrol station I was panicking as the car was running on fumes. We both filled up and headed back to the camping barn. As it was about 11 at night the country roads were pitch black. It was raining so visibility was bad and we then missed a turning. We were now driving round trying to find our way when we really didn't know where we were. We started to trace our route back and finally found the road that we had previously missed. When we arrived back at the barn everybody had already had gone to bed, and we could finally sleep after a long day in the hills.

To be continued...

Mike Hocking

Check out the next edition of GUCH News to read the final instalment of this adventurous and torturous journey!