Thursday, June 13, 2013 DITL
Jun. 22nd, 2013 02:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
spryng
Although we had no access to the internet and no way of posting in time to make the official DITL cut-off, I figured I'd take the photos anyway and post them, because why not. It helped that this particular DITL coincided with the most scenic part of our hike.
For once, not getting up at the crack of dawn.
Lady's not quite awake yet.
Make her some coffee anyway. Instant coffee seems to be a thing in England so far. I guess it is pretty convenient.
Before hair taming.
After.
Fill up all the bladders and water bottles, since there's nowhere to stop and get water along the route.
Re-pack.
Look out the window to check the weather aaand - there's cats.
Hmm. Looks like the day before. So, intermittent showers.
Spot the swallow that woke me up with his serenades two hours earlier.
Check our day's route - looks like about 13 miles after factoring in our walk back to the trail from where we're staying.
Packed! I love this backpack so much.
Not pictured: having a traditional English breakfast (eggs, bacon, buttered mushrooms, one fried tomato, and lots and lots of toast).
Pull on our boots and get on our way.
Don't make it very far before we have to stop and put on our raincoats, though.
Down the road...
Get to the start of the path to see we're just in time for the second bit of Wall. We saw a small portion the day before and nothing since, so this is pretty exciting.
These poles frequently mark our route and always seem to pop up right when we start feeling lost. The acorn specifically indicates the Hadrian's Wall path and became our favorite thing to see.
Walking, through the rain, and what is that ahead? More wall??
It is!
Some rolling hills as we continue to climb.
Hmm. Climb the thing or step over?
Spot our friends from the B&B ahead of us - we'll continue to run in to them throughout the day.
Follow the path through sheep. This happens a lot.
(NB, the wall to the right is not the Wall. They have walls like these running where it used to be sometimes, especially in the middle of the hike now, but the real Wall is always at least a meter or two wide.)
Climbing over farmer's walls.
More sheep. Not completely clear on the markings, but they seem to be matching lambs to their mothers.
Through what our guidebook charmingly calls a kissing-gate.
Some other hikers appear to have garnered some unwanted attention.
They follow us all the way to the nearby temple ruins, then just stand and stare.
Temple ruins!
Then across some marshy bits.
Across another field.
Looking back over the moors - you can see so far here.
Taking a break. Not pictured: eating some cheese and salami.
Onwards! Ever onwards! Somewhere around here my feet start to hurt, but we have miles to go so I ignore it.
A turret appears!
That white stuff is tufts of wool.
Just say NO to thistle!
Hmm, looks like we've been climbing a bit.
More sheep. And. Um. Lots of shit.
Our friendly acorn tells us to go this way!
Through the woods!
A bit more Wall greets us on the other side.
And even more Wall ahead!
Wall!
Another turret. Or milecastle. Who knows.
The Wall begins to grow more substantial.
We're a bit... higher up now.
Lady's not so sure about something.
Milecastle!
It's a mite windy.
This is what I mean by this wall not really being the Wall, just a demarcation. But it's cool because yeah - that's where we're going.
Cows: Mornin'.
Looking back the way we just came. I find it's a lot more difficult to go down these hills than up. Also, my feet are starting to do an each-step-is-agony sort of thing, which is really not appreciated.
We make it to Housesteads, which is pretty much the halfway point of the hike and this particular day and also a big tourist site. It's the ruins of an old fort, one of the most well-preserved, but you have to pay a bit to go in and see it, so we stare at it outside for a moment before heading to the visitor's center.
We were promised tea and food, but all they have are sandwiches, crisps, and gluten free brownies. I eat some of those gf brownies since I've been trying to stay gf for the past six weeks. They're tasty, but probably not the best lunch.
Lady rubs some life back into her foot.
Rested, we head back out and up, past the fort, in which are, of course, sheep.
On the west side of the fort is the only part of the Wall you're officially allowed to walk on. Of course, that didn't stop a bunch of tourists from walking on other parts of the Wall. :/
I can't resist officially sanctioned things. :P
Milecastle 37, the only one with a semi-preserved arch.
More hills to climb. More miles to go.
It's a mite... windy. We later learn that most people hike the Wall the other direction to have the wind at prevailing their back. Whoops.
Nice thing about the clouds and rain is it makes for gorgeous photos. :)
Stairs?
Stairs!! I might be a little happy about the stairs.
Holy shit, guys. By this point I was limping, but it was so gorgeous I didn't care.
Miles and miles to go but I think I can almost spot the town we're going to have dinner in... waaay off in the distance.
Yup, there, that white building on the left - I'm pretty sure that's a pub. Oh yes.
We arrive suddenly at Sycamore Gap, one of the more famous spots on the Wall. I can see why.
Looking up the stairs we have to climb. They're a little... daunting.
And at the top looking down. Eek.
A very well-preserved milecastle.
Have to stop and look back the way we came. Omg.
Imagine: tropical storm force prevailing wind. Looking down over this ledge to a very steep, narrow staircase. Having a bit of fear of heights. Each step you take feels like somehow is sawing through your achilles tendon.
Down at the bottom of that terrible staircase.
Onwards and - yes! I was right, the white building is the pub.
Down the road and - hey, it's our friends!
Instead of hiking, most people drive the Wall. But then you miss all the good parts.
I'm not entirely sure what "free house" means, but there will be food.
Since it's 5.30 and dinner isn't available until 6, before food, there is cider (and beer). Which, on an empty stomach, is always a Good Idea.
After dinner, we had back the way we came, lighter-headed.
Wind. So much wind.
Up the hill, around the corner, down the hill, up another - where is this place?
Down another hill - a sign ahead seems promising. Definitely limping now. Definitely each step is agony.
Hoorah! The place we're staying tonight. But it's another mile?
Oh god. Yes it is.
More sheep, but they flee from us.
This is the road that never ends.
It just keeps going on (my friend).
Some people started walking it, not knowing where it went -
Oh. Wait. Here we are.
We check in and get showed to a lovely bunk barn.
Aka an independent hostel. Downstairs is wonderfully empty. I have enough strength to make my bed.
And then I pass out.
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Date: 2013-06-28 01:29 am (UTC)The numbers on the sheep are indeed to match them with their lambs. If they are lambing outside, you paint all the ewes at the start of season, and then give their lambs matching numbers when you give ear tags at about 12 hours old. Looks like a lot of Scottish Blackface. They're a hardy breed.
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Date: 2013-06-28 09:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-02 06:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-04 05:21 am (UTC)nice pictures. i never would've survived that walk though.
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Date: 2013-07-07 05:44 am (UTC)I stayed in the Once Brewed YHA Hostel (right beside the pub) and wandered all over that area for a week.
Oh, and Free House means that it's basically a licenced restaurant and that Sunday night is family night at the pub. Don't go for dinner then, it's full up with screaming children.