The Walk Itself
In the third of a four-part series, Laura Feinberg describes the walk itself as she sets out along Hadrian's Wall.
The Walk Itself
https://www.contours.co.uk/the-walk-itself
Laura Feinberg booked a ten-day trek along Hadrian’s Wall, from west to east, with Contours Holidays. In the third of a four-part series, she knuckles down to the nuts and bolts of the personal challenge.
A few days into the walk, we found the paths were clearly marked, as advised by kind fellow walkers.
Each image of a black and white acorn located on gates, signposts and stiles seemed to represent a kind of nutty ‘thumbs up’: reassurance that we were on the right path, alongside consistent encouragement to keep going.
I also had a GPX file for the walk, which I would recommend carrying, and a neat 1:25000 map in booklet form supplied by Contours in the Cicerone Hadrian’s Wall Path Guidebook.
There was a little admin involved, organising taxis, laundry and meals, and as advised, I carried some cash for the ‘honesty boxes’ of food, drink and sometimes a welcome seat along the route.
However, before long I was finding a rhythm, relaxing into the momentum of each day, my main task being simply to make it to the next location.
In addition to the friends who joined me at different stages of the walk, the people I met were friendly and well-meaning, for example the fellow ‘Wallers’ taking photos for each other at key points or reaching out for backup and allegiance when crossing fields with cattle.
Although I hadn’t travelled far from my hometown, I did encounter communication I didn’t understand, such as:
And the cattle? I followed advice to avoid eye contact and give them a wide berth. On this trail it seems that you will meet them, and it’s fair to say the adrenaline of a field crossing kept me awake and alert…
The weather was mixed overall, with sunshine and showers, but the temperature was cool, which made for good walking conditions.
I had chosen to walk from west to east due to stories I had heard about prevailing winds, and on three specific occasions I gave thanks for this decision: the approaches to Gilsland, Housesteads and Chollerford.
Other decisions I was grateful for were taking walking poles. The crags were tough. Even though they were not as high as I had anticipated, and my worst fear of ending up clinging to a cliff face crying and alone in the rain did not come to pass, they are, as is well documented, steep and relentless.
At my lowest point mid-walk, I hit a wall of fatigue and almost gave up on the ambition to finish, instead to visit the temptations of Vindolanda.
But I chose to keep walking with the help of my trusty wide-brimmed hat, which both kept the sun from my face and forced me to focus simply on the next step.
It was an unexpected joy to arrive at Sycamore Gap, where the iconic tree, so meaningful to so many, was felled in 2023. Amidst the palpable local and international sense of mourning I was thrilled to discover numerous hopeful saplings.
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I wanted to mark the moment, from Housesteads onwards, when finally the crags began to even out, and I was happy to be joined by three friends for ‘a cuppa by a Vallum (huge earthwork)’ in celebration.
We passed many historical sites, but the priority was to keep to time and get where we were going, which ended in a steep descent to Chollerford, with its beautiful bridge over the river, and a pint.
By the time I reached Corbridge, my feet and I were feeling it, but as I fell asleep, I dreamt of wide-open landscapes and fields. This must be good for my brain.
And the final leg? Thanks to technology, I was grateful to be joined by one more friend, Liz, a great walking companion who helped keep me going on the final twelve-mile stretch, now through industrial Newcastle.
The conversation distracted me from thinking about my legs, which were tired and aching, but even so, feeling strong, we counted down to the finish line at Wallsend where we marked the occasion with a celebratory sandwich!
Interested in walking Hadrian's Wall Path?
Contours Holidays offer a variety of itineraries along Hadrian's Wall Path: the full-route option, highlights trail, half-route walks and a dedicated short break. Find your holiday here:
Sustainability Writer and Content Strategist
Laura is a writer and creative problem-solver who loves the meaningful things in life, such as coffee and cake in good company, nature, and writing and receiving postcards.
More of her work can be found on her website www.thestrictlysustainablewriter.com
