Let's Do This!!!

It’s finally happening! After having to cancel the walking tours last year in Scotland and Ireland I just booked a solo walking adventure in the UK along the Hadrian’s Wall Path. For those that have never heard of it, the Hadrian’s Wall Path is an 84 mile trail in northern England that runs from the east coast to the west coast.

The path largely follows the remains of Hadrian’s Wall which is a Roman wall (with some forts thrown in for variety) built to defend their northern most territories in Britannia. In short, they were trying to keep the Scots out. (This is the perfect spot to put some kind of joke about the Scots but I got nothing). It’s a UNESCO site and the top walking route in the UK. Of course I know all this through internet “research” so there’s also a chance it was built in 1971 by two highly caffeinated farmers with nothing but time on their hands and it should be named Nigel and Liams Wall. Either way, I’m walking it. I’m doing this in a similar fashion to how I did the Camino. I’ve gone through a travel service (Macs Adventures) and they book all of my rooms and provide me the segments. I will carry all my gear throughout the route. It looks like there are only two short vehicle transfers so almost all of it will be door to door hiking. From what I’ve read the total distance hiked ends up being about 106 miles over 6 walking days. While this is a much shorter distance than the Camino, I’m still nervous. I’m in Covid shape, and that shape is a potato. I’ve started to recommit to running/hiking and have even started attending a circuit training class*.

Side note: Having attended this class a few times I can confirm that I have found yet another thing I am not good at. This will be added to a long and ever growing list of distinguished items. I’ve also recently added making pasta and sewing a button. Both disasters, only one of which left me with burns. You figure out which.

The trip is in mid-June and I am bound and determined to not relive the exhaustion of the first 2 days of the Camino. I had every intention of starting that journey in good hiking shape and just didn’t follow through on the training. Perhaps I should add follow through to the list mentioned above. In Spain I was lucky enough to be supported by Glenn and Jan. They got me through those rough days but this hike isn’t nearly as popular or crowded as the Camino. I need to be my own Glenn and Jan. Well, I guess I am already a Glenn. I guess I need to be my own Second Glenn and Jan. So basically that’s two Glenns and a Jan that I need to be in just one Glenn. Glad we sorted that out.

I’m in the early stages of figuring out my packing list and seeing if I need to get anything else. Northern England in June is apparently quite a different climate than Northern Spain in September. Honestly, the planning is nearly as much fun as the trip.

The journey officially starts this weekend with a training schedule (that I just finished a few moments ago) and this blog post, written on a Princess Bride themed coffee shop patio. Portland may have gotten a lot of negative press the last couple of years but I would ask, how many Princess Bride themed coffee shops does your town have? Mine has two. Mic. Drop.

If anyone has any experience hiking in the UK I’d love to hear about it. I’m also planning to update this blog as I prepare in case you’re interested. I’ve gone back and read portions of the Camino blog and am very glad I wrote it as a reminder of the experience.

Be well,

Glenn