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Total Distance: 15 Miles
Highest Point: 1107 Feet
Total Realistic Time: 6.5 Hours

The wall today, you can only see a fraction – estimated at around 10% of the original.  Over the course of the intervening centuries stone has been removed, buried or destroyed.  Click here for more information.

Hadrian’s wall 15 mile hike for British Heart Foundation today.  Registration and check-in point at Lanecost Priory to pick up t-shirts and refreshments.  Also the point where you are taken by mini bus to the starting point of the 15 mile hike only 5 minutes away.  Porta Loos available before being taken to the start point.

When we disembarked the mini bus we had to listen to a health and safety talk by one of the helpers before we could proceed to the start where they take your number.  You had to check in at two check points along the hike, one where the 9 mile hike starts and the last check point at the 12 mile mark.

The start of the 15 mile to the beginning of the 9 mile start was very smooth and flat.  You can see very good views of parts of Hadrian’s wall – lot more of the wall are in place.  Check point at 6 miles where the 9 mile hike starts then to the 12 mile check point.  Each check point there was a photo opportunity with a Roman/Saxon – man dressed up.

Each check point you could top up on water and snacks which were provided, also toilets available.  The 12 mile check point was much needed, with refreshments tea and coffee available, we opted to drink our jasmine tea instead with snacks and finish the last 2 bacon sandwiches to fuel ourselves for the last 3 mile hike which was the worst part.  Most of the hills were the last 3 miles towards Housesteads.

Right Achilles heel and left knee I could feel it working.  The 1000 mile ankle socks seemed to rub against my right heel, felt better after loosening the laces.

The last 3 miles was a workout, a lot of uphills and it seemed to go for a long time.  At the end, at the finishing line you were presented with a medal for completing the hike.  Got the gentleman to take a photo of us at the finishing line with our medals on then got a voucher for a free hot drink in the centre, which we very much needed.  Cannot go wrong with a black coffee.

Very enjoyable walk, very lucky with the weather, just nice and not too hot with a light breeze to keep us cool all the way.

Started at 7:30am from 15 mile starting point and completed at 2pm – done in good time.

EQUIPMENT

• Camelbak Backpack
• Apple iPhone 7 with Apple iPhone Smart Battery Case
• OS Maps app (signed up to 1 year auto renew at £19.99 to use the app with OS Explorer Map 1:25k – click here for more info)
• Salomon Women’s Ellipse 2 GTX W Low Rise Hiking Shoes
• 1000 Mile Women’s Ankle Trainer Liner Socks
• Icebreaker Merino Wool Short Sleeve t-shirt
• DHK Sport Zip Jacket
• North Face Walking Trousers
• Modetro Sports Knee Support (for left knee)

FOOD AND DRINK

• 1 Litre Water Bladder
• 1 x 500ml Flask with Jasmine tea
• 2 x Small Bacon and Lettuce sandwich on French Stick
• 1 x Bacon and Lettuce sandwich on Farina Pegliese Bread (my favourite bread)
• Handful of Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 x Small bite size Edam Cheese (for after eating Jazz apple to balance the acids in your mouth to help protect your teeth)
• McCoy’s Salt and Vinegar Crisps
• Mixture of Tesco Dried Mango, Dried Almonds, Dried Apricots, Dried Hazelnuts in a Tesco food zip bag
• 1 x Small Fruit and Vegetable Juice from Aldi
• Holland and Barrett GinGin Chews (these are amazing to give you some extra energy along the way)

CHECK POINTS PROVIDED

• KitKat – Cookie and Cream, Cappuccino, Dark Mint (great tasting energy bars)
• McVitie’s HobNob Bars
• Go Ahead Yoghurt Breaks
• 3 x Small Packets of Haribo Sweets
• 2 x Small bottle of water (always need the extra refreshment)

WISH I HAD

• Long 1000 Mile Socks (short ankle trainer liner socks did not protect the heel from rubbing against the shoe, especially my right heel)
• iBuprofen (help inflammation of my knees towards the end of the walk)
• Dried Pineapples (which also helps with inflammation)
• Cap (it was breezy so would have helped to keep my hair at bay)