Thursday 3 June 2010

Thank you

I'll write up our final day, and maybe more of the trip properly later. But we have finished, after a blisteringly hot final day, with more ups and downs than any previous day. Tim has enjoyed it enormously, and is rightly proud of having walked so far, and beaten his target for miles and for fund-raising for CLIC Sargent.

Thank you to all those who've donated, and to Katherine, Gwen and Robin for logistical support and encouragement.

If you haven't yet donated, it's a great cause. You can read more about it or donate at our Just Giving site http://www.justgiving.com/timonthewall

Moray
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Moray McConnachie

There!

Now ?

See?

They're there on the crag...

Can't you see them?

And they're off!

Day 6: Hotbanks Farm gate

This National Trust-owned property is home to a famous local beef
breed, the Northumberland Blue Grey; and the path leads up to the Wall
and the separate Roman military road.

Day 5, the last push

Tim is part goat!

Footpath repairs needed ....

Hotbanks Crags

Not at this one, either.

Fear of heights? Don't look!

Tim On The Wall

He really is; the path is on the wall at this stage.

Roamin' desserts

Housesteads

Sewingshields Crags, where we'd been

Tim at a trig point

And higher still ...

And more height

We start to gain serious height

Sewingshields Wood

The road goes ever on.

Turret 33A

Explained by Tim.

Stylish stile jumping

En route to Sewingshields.

Sewingshields in 3 miles ....

Day 5: Brocolitia

Tim and Moray approach the Temple of Mithras.

Wednesday 2 June 2010

Day 5 closes

Only 8 miles today, but a stiff walk from Green Carts campsite (http://www.greencarts.co.uk), a lovely small simple campsite which I would recommend to anyone, and where we met a lovely family from West Yorkshire, with whom we played cricket. In fact after a 10 mile walk yesterday, Tim then played cricket for 2 hours straight, and again this morning from 9-11. He was so pleased to have someone to play with!


Today took us dramatically over Sewingshield Crags to Housesteads Fort. Tim faded as we hit our first serious climb, and I was a bit worried we'd have to chivvy him along for the second half, but some fruit and some scrambling really helped him hit his second wind, and he led us with great glee from Housesteads ( http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-hadrianswallandhousesteadsfort ) on, with tremendous views over Crag Lough.

I can hardly believe that tomorrow will be our last day - we'll hit our 40 mile target in the first hour, but Walltown will make a tremendous place to finish, if temptingly close to a round 50 miles.

The two images which don't have Tim in are Northumberland views from my parents' rented cottage at Grindon Farm (http://www.grindonfarm.co.uk), which has a terrific veranda on which I am enjoying a hopefully well-earned beer.



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Moray McConnachie

Tuesday 1 June 2010

Approaching from Milecastle 28

Cricket is easier with a bat

And another child or two, even after 9.8 miles.

The course of the Vallum

Between the supports of the stile looking EES towards the green oak on
the left and the withered oak on the right, the dip and gentle rise
left (north) of the dip is the Vallum, much eroded and infilled since
AD 122.

Picture by K, en route to meet the boys visible now in the far distance.

And the same window, with additional feature

Holton Red House: the garden view

Ae fond farewell

Day 4, off from Holton Red House

Cheery fellows!

42 x 10 = 420

If we're strict, we should aim for GBP 420, really. Ten quid to go on
the Justgiving site...

The boys set off in a light rain this morning not long after nine,
full of cheer and breakfast. I'm off to scout out the next campsite
after a night in this lovely house.

Raising money for CLIC Sargent - donate now!