Day 3


We’ve just finished dinner at the Twice Brewed Inn, which is where we’re staying tonight. It’s in a village called Once Brewed, and it’s right at the halfway mileage mark of the path. These inns have been very pleasant so far. The rooms are small and basic but clean and comfortable. The staff have been friendly and really helpful.

We reached the highest elevation of Hadrian’s Wall today—only about 1100 feet, but we worked hard for it, going up and down a series of fairly steep slopes to get there. Today’s leg was billed as 14 miles, but our trackers say it was between 16 and 17.5, so who knows. I did clock 41,000+ steps, but many were small ones as I worked my way up and down hills. The problem with over performing on my step count is that next week, Fitbit will be scolding me because my step count has decreased so much. John is being a model of patience, as he could get through these segments much more quickly than I.


The Roman wall was visible throughout today’s walk and is in amazingly good condition in many spots. There were grand views from the tops of the many hills, and it’s easy to see why people who live here in the UK enjoy visiting this area. About half of the people we’ve met along the path are from the UK and are walking either part or all of it. We’ve met a number of Canadians and, surprisingly, several fellow Washingtonians.


I pulled out my trekking poles and used them today. Not only were they helpful with going up and down, but their clicking rhythm completely distracted me from being bothered by carrying water and other necessities in my backpack.


People back home often ask if we’re with a group. The answer is no—like virtually everyone we’ve met along the way, we’re walking as a pair. We occasionally see groups of 3-5 people, but they’re friends or family members, not organized groups. The path is not at all crowded. It’s not unusual to go for 30 minutes without seeing anyone—although these center parts of the wall draw walkers who drive here for the day to explore, so they’re a bit busier than the outer stretches of the path.


We’re beat tonight and should sleep well. Tomorrow we get to see one of the more well-known sections of the path, Sycamore Gap. Our hike will be only 8 miles long—a nice break after three days of 14 mile legs, but it will be hilly again.

Comments

  1. Annie MartinMay 24, 2022 at 8:24 AM

    Aunt Lois and Uncle John... I'm loving following these adventures and living vicariously through you both! (Although, I was feeling pretty good about my 15 minute walk around the neighborhood yesterday until I read this... ha!) Cheering you on from Seattle!

    ReplyDelete

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