The Camino along The Great Wall of Hadrian began Tuesday, after a lift to Hexham and a train to Carlisle. Some say the route begins, or ends, further West at the Irish sea, but this Camino started where the train terminated, and headed East, along a well maintained and signed route along the Eden river and climbing steadily uphill.
On the train, conversation with a rail engineer heading for Haltwhistle, having left his home in Doncaster that morning, established that much of the track closed by Beeching 60 years or so ago was finding new purpose as the nation was building back better, as they say. The engineer wore a t-shirt under his Orange overalls advertising Combat Stress, a charity trying to repair the damage done by illegal wars and the lack of support for soldiers traumatised by their experiences.
Carlisle was swiftly left behind after a coffee and some banter and the well walked, marked and prepared Way along and over the Eden River was easy enough and dry enough in light rain, since rain gear and skin are waterproof and stayed together all day, which was quite long, given the late start after ten and arrival in Gilsland ten hours later, about eight. There were enough calories in the tank, including fluids, to mean a lunch from the pack was plenty, and energy was garnered from the many humans encountered, including a long stretch with Pippa and Fran, two young women carrying large packs including a tent and things needed when camping. Preferring a light pack and the mystery of finding a bed for the night, this pilgrim found the pack perfectly easy to carry, thanks to some of the contents being worn to stay dry.
Many other humans were found, pilgrims and locals, happy to share their energy and information about their lives, reasons for living and or walking, including in Gilsland, where Pippa and Fran were planning to camp, though they were lost behind at eight and after a drink in the Bridge Inn, a nearby B&B, being full, phoned a friend nearby up the hill, to book a bed for the night. At Brooklands, Andrea and Roger were welcoming and offered a free supper, since another guest, Maurizzio, staying longer for work, had made pasta bolognesa and there was some sauce leftover, which was just right with the baguette also leftover. The vegetarian vague'un enjoyed the meaty exception to the rule of not eating cows and went upstairs for a shower and a sleep, while Maurizzio stayed up very late watching Italy beat Spain after extra time plus penalties.
Next morning, Maurizzio looked tired and rather dour, whilst the pilgrim ate a Full English Breakfast (vegetarian) which was enough for lunch in the pack, plus snacks from Andrea to enable a well rested and fed walker to set off about 7.15 for the challenging central section of the walk up and down steeply to the peak to enjoy the views, with Sun on and off and no rain all day. Humans soon appeared for conversations from both directions, which was interesting as always, and thoughts of sleeping were far away, while at a farm outside Gilsland a tent was spotted and the Farmer said Pippa and Fran had arrived totally knackered at ten. I never saw them again.
After an inspirational day climbing and rather tired at Housesteads Roman Fort, a small bus offered a short rest on the road to Chollerford, where the walking continued. Thinking about a bed sometime, enquiries were made, including at the George Hotel, and later at Wall, where a light supper was found, but no bed, at The Hadrian Hotel. After a wander along the Wall of Hadrian, it seemed nearby Hexham offered the best options on a warm and sunny evening on a quiet road with wonderful skies as Sun thought about setting and traffic seemed to disappear even in Hexham, since Denmark was trying to beat England on television, to see who might meet Italy on Sunday, or Spain on Saturday. Hotel one, The Beaumont, was full; number two, The County, also; leaving number three The Station as the third option before a warm night on a bench in The Park.
Bingo! At The Station there was indeed a bed, and breakfast in the morning too. Drinking a pint of fluid to rehydrate, the football game was in extra time already, excitement was growing all over the place, a dodgy penalty was awarded, and Harry stepped forward, had his weak first effort saved and the follow up tucked in the net. The game was still going on, while a knackered pilgrim went for a shower and was tucked up in bed before the end, and fast asleep at the end of an epic day walking the Great Wall of Hadrian.
Next morning, Thursday, Sun was already awake and breakfast was eaten quite late, as mind moved, not North back up to the Wall and East to Wallsend, but South, Stanhope, where a bed, breakfast and all the rest was waiting, not to mention a full weekend with a small protest in Newcastle this afternoon, and a picnic and outdoor play at Bowes Museum in Barney tomorrow, weather permitting. Breakfast at The Station was taken in the company of two brothers, retired, both fishing. Gregor, the elder, had spent his career as a Foreign Correspondent with the BBC, married a Serb woman, Mira, and had found themselves locked in their Belgrade Flat by the Authorities, for six months, before being allowed to fly home to their house in England.
Meanwhile, in Hexham, Amy, a midwife from Blackpool, had become addicted to codeine, available over the counter, and was spending time with the folks at the Community Church to break the habit. Nearby, at Bunters, where Joao from Madeira was serving coffee, a chance meeting with Neil Mac Neil, who had escaped from Scotland on holiday, established that he was a scholar of The Dao, which seemed a fitting end to a short walk along the Way, though there was still another bus, plus a two hour walk from Allenheads over the watershed to Rookhope and the bus to Stanhope, plus the fifteen minute wander home to the Retreat House on Railway Terrace.
As for the other humans and their short stories, well, let's say there may be an anthology in it!
And the Walk itself? Well, walking is always good ...
No comments:
Post a Comment