This time round, I’m not doing a day by day log. Trying to do something slightly different instead. A tip log. Tips on what goes on during this entire trip.
Before I proceed, let me just be a bit lor soh and briefly go through what’s Hadrian’s Wall all about.
• Britain was under Roman rule. The British province of the Roman empire covers almost the entire England.
• The Romans couldn’t really conquer the Scots in the north, and called them barbarians.
• To define a boundary of their empire, the Romans built a wall under orders from Emperor Hadrian in northern England from Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the east to Carlisle in the west.
• Along the wall, the Romans built forts, milecastles and turrets to guard the border. They almost innovated the passports of today.
• Almost 2 millenia later, some of the walls and forts survived the test of time.
• The wall is now known widely as Hadrian’s Wall, made a British National Trail, destinated a World Heritage Site, and is almost considered a wonder in itself.
• The Trail runs across England from east coast to west coast across different terrain, an enjoyable walk for those who think nothing of trekking 80 Roman miles (147.2km).
Enough of the bullshit, let’s get down to the main work.
1. If you’ve never stepped on shit, you’ve never walked the Hadrian.
This is serious matter. No kidding. The trek across English countryside is filled with minefields: biologically degradable waste of sheep, cattle, horses and ponies litters the nice and beautifully green pastures. In a way, they help to fertilise the fields and ensures the grass continues growing. But the beasts have an interesting way of looking at the trail: it is their toilet. Whether is it due to training by their farmers, or is it by cheek, they seem only to shit along the trail, particularly the path you are treading on.
2. To enjoy the most torturous yet beautiful part of the trail fully, you need Hadrians Haul
Now some of you may think ‘what in the world is Hadrians Haul’. Here, I have to declare, truthfully and faithfully, that Hadrian’s Haul as good as saved us all the trouble we were worrying about: transporting of 10+ kg worth per pax of barang barang that includes tents, sleeping bags etc. You may not believe this, but shedding the excess weight and walking without the physical burden seriously help to make footsteps lighter. And you feel you’re more lively, you’ve more energy, you can push it further, you can even have the time to appreciate all the scenery. It’s only 5 GBP per bag, and it’s so reliable. Here I enclose its number: 07967564823. During the midst of my planning days, despite searching through all Hadrian related websites, there’s no shit written about such service. But no fear, it is here that I promote their service FOC. And their modus operandi is interesting: you are provided with a white envelope to write your name, contact details, date of transport, origin of transport and its destination. Next you insert a 5 GBP note into the envelope and attach the envelope to your bag with a rubber band. Leave your barang barang with your host and Hadrians Haul will settle the rest. By the time you’ve completed your walk for the day, you’ll find your barang barang safe and sound at the new destination. It’ll be the service that saves your day and make it more enjoyable, I promise.
3. Recommended farms and accommodation: Greencarts and Sandysike.
Greencarts lie between Chesters Fort and the main part of your trek. It is manned by this angelic lady known as Sandra, and it is due to her that we got to enjoy our trip so much more. She was helpful in our last-minute changes with her advice, especially we couldn’t think of a way to proceed with our plans due to amateurism in our trekking plans. Her angelic ways do not limit to her knowledge: she gaily provided us with some dinner when we had nothing to eat, and gave us some food for the following day. How kind is that?!?
Sandysike is another place which I would recommend animal lovers to go. The farmer himself is a kind fella who would think nothing of helping poor trekking students hungry and tired without a scrap of food. And they actually served us in their dining hall, the table fully laid out with fully English cuisine utensils! After dinner, they gave us a tour around the farm, meeting their young bull and pretty horse and such, not to mention 4 hyper and enthusiastic dogs!
4. Do not attempt to trek in the midst of bank holidays.
Hadrian’s wall lies in the countryside. For goodness’ sake, do not assume that their towns contain supermarkets! What is considered as a food shop, is simply a snack shop with almost nothing in stock but everything in price tags. The prices can be described as extortion, literally. Farmers do not buy their food in town, they have cars to drive to nearest city for food supply! Now, what do bank holidays have to do with that? If, in the cities, shops do not open on bank holidays, do you suppose there’ll be more people in towns and hence town shops will be open? The answer is no. Bank holidays are like vacuum cleaners: they suck the life of a town. Settlements are as good as dead towns and villages on bank holidays, and be assured you’ll be trapped in the midst of nowhere with houses but no one to offer you even a glass of warm milk. No matter what, avoid travelling on bank holidays.
5. Stock up on food supplies if you do not wish to splurge on pub food.
For backpackers who prefer to cook their own or have a picnic out there in the green fields, I suggest that you stock up on food in the big cities ie Newcastle and Carlisle. Food shops along in the countryside, as stated in point 4, look like disaster stricken retail outlets. They stock up on almost absolutely nothing. Anyway, locals do not shop there. They drive to nearby cities to stock up. In case you are worrying about the weight of all the food, see point 2.
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