I have been meaning to write about our walk from Newcastle to Bowness-on-Solway along Hadrian’s Wall and now I have a few minutes to do so. It was really nice. You will have seen from the pictures linked to in a previous entry what it was like. It is hard to sum up a walk in a short post and I am not sure that I want to, but I will try. The days varied significantly: the first was foggy and cool as we wandered through Newcastle, the second was tough, walking along a straight road for miles in warm sun and then cool wind; the third was windy and cool on ridges looking out over farmland and encountering ruins; the fourth was similar to the third until lunchtime when the sun came out to make a gorgeous afternoon as we descended from the true national park into cultivated land; the fifth also produced good weather, broad green fields and a fort; on the sixth day then sun was very warm and the land smooth, the slog through the edge of Carlisle was a shock to the system (rubbish, noise, drunks); the seventh and final day produced our first rain of the trip just before lunch, allowing us to shelter in a pub and complete the walk after the rain had passed. That is basically how we passed seven days of walking.

There were many sights to see along the way and some days we were quite tired and a little sore upon locating our accomodation for the evening. On departing every morning (bar one following a night in a poor hostel) we felt refreshed and ready to go, the pains of the day before soon faded. Walking along a set path with maps of varying quality was liberating in a way as it freed the mind to just wander while the legs propelled you forward. We discussed the scenery and other things that we had observed and/or remembered from earlier in the trip or back in London. Knowing that you have to walk a certain (undetermined) distance every day is nice, gives you a challenge to tackle and something to focus on. Some of the most enjoyable parts of the walk were in the last couple of days after we had come down from the more scenic parts of the path and were just moving steadily through the countryside. These sections did not require comment or close observation and just allowed us to walk and talk while slowly moving towards the horizon. Having never completed a long distance walk of this sort before it was very enjoyable to find out how pleasant it can be. It reminded me of the feeling of calm that came during the long runs on coolish mornings in Melbourne during my brief running career (that my knees remind me of on odd days) when everything around you just blurs into the background, the sound of life is turned down and the pressures of work disappear for a while.

Traveling up north was also interesting. It is like a different country up there in some ways, but in many ways it was very similar. Perhaps we will get up there to walk/work in the future. It would not be so bad.

One thing I have noticed upon returning to London is how difficult it can be to get around. This is something that I have previously considered, but on returning from a walking holiday it is much more noticable. Getting the energy and motivation to go anywhere in the city (other than immediate neighbourhood) can be a major undertaking if you are unlucky. Brings to mind the old cliche about how Londoners only know their immediate area. It is such a hassle to go anywhere that I can see why. Walking from village to village through the countryside just brought this home even more. Having said that, it is still possible to enjoy a good walk here (as evidenced by earlier posts about the Capital Ring) if you are willing to put in the effort. On Wednesday I was volunteering in Vauxhall by the river and decided to walk a little further before getting the bus home since the weather was nice. This eventually resulted in me walking Vauxhall-Stockwell-Clapham-Streatham-Streatham Common, all the way home. The cycle route sign said 4 miles, but googlemaps says 5.5, either way it was a good walk. The thing about walking from suburb to suburb is that you get to see such a range of people going about their day (especially on a sunny May afternoon). I discovered a whole nest of Portuguese cafes and restaurants that require further investigation and saw much goings on. While it was not quite the same as walking through the Northumberland National Park it was interesting in its own right and great to get some exercise.

We are off to Bath this weekend. Am looking forward to seeing the city and meeting one of P’s friends that I have heard plenty about but not yet had the opportunity to meet. Have heard good things about Bath will be good to see if it lives up to expectations. Perhaps the following weekend we will get out into the countryside and continue our stroll along the North Downs Way, picking up where we left off before the trip. Will be more enjoyable to walk in the hills around there now that there is some experience under the belt, the first 30 miles were very tough.

After being very dismissive about comments regarding my poor grammar from supervisors, examiners and reviewers I have decided to sort it out once and for all. Having not really taken much of an interest in school and performing poorly as a result I missed the grammar lesson. So, I am being proactive and have ordered a book which outlines the key rules of grammar and hopefully this will put it to rest once and for all. It is hard enough getting work accepted for publication without putting another barrier in the way. Is a little late for the thesis revisions (which will be completed by the end of next week, I think), fortunately P will be able to proofread it for me and identify the error of my grammatical ways. Perhaps in the future you will also notice a difference here.