Uncle Larry's walk and South Shields beach

I always associate River Drive with my Uncle Larry.  I remember walking it with him years ago and looking down on the river, him pointing out what I should know about it.  He thought it was dead 30 years ago, I wonder what he would make of the housing, the call centres, the shopping. Maybe he'd be pleased, older people tend to be less sentimental than we give them credit for, after all a job is a job, and his generation certainly knew what unemployment meant.  So I wandered happily passed Dolly Peel and on down to Littlehaven.  It was gorgeously sunny and the Weebles (sorry, Conversation Piece) was as intriuging as ever.  It really is like walking into a party and seeing who is who.

On a day like today there really is no better place than South Shields.  At Littlehaven the waves lapped the shore and the estuary was blue, and on into Sandhaven where I could have had a beautiful stretch of golden sand all to myself, if only I was organised enough to sort out deckchairs, windbreaks etc etc.  I strolled along watching parents enjoy making sandcastles for their kids, kids splashing in the sea, women of a certain age plodging.  It doesn't get better than this, my spirits really soared.  And so I wafted home through Westoe village on a cloud of happiness.

Now for the confession:  I should have been walking the next bit of Hadrian's Wall - Walltown to Housesteads.  My last experience of wall walking has left me wondering if I can possibily complete this project.  But I won't be beaten, and the weather forecast for next week looks good...

Walk local

Ha!  Bet you thought I'd missed a week!  Well, no I haven't, but my walking was curtailed by the demands of work and other commitments.  That's not an excuse, we should always be able to find time to walk.  This week's tally was a walk through the Readhead Park taking in the lovely flower beds and continuing to marvel at how green the trees are (they must have been desperate for rain before).  Then continuing along Cauldwell Avenue, Mortimer Road and back home.

That was Tuesday evening.  Thursday evening was a quick walk to the Co-op to check my bank balance and buy a paper.  BUT IT ALL COUNTS!  I refuse to fall into the trap of thinking that walking is only proper walking if boots and an ordnance survey map are involved!

The Prom at Clacton-on-Sea

Having been persuaded into a last minute road trip to Essex, I was quite prepared not to like Clacton-on-Sea.  But on a warm evening walking the prom I could see why people like it.  I began at the pier - loud, brash, typical seaside holiday - and strolled south towards the martello towers.  The noise from the pier lessened and even the windfarm out to sea began to look, well, quite arty.  Families were straggling back home and by the time I got to Martello bay I had the place to myself and it was lovely.  I walked on towards Jaywick and then turned back and walked along the top promenade past the formal gardens which are still nicely maintained, past the pier again (still going strong) and along the other way towards Holland on Sea.
Not the walk I had planned about 10 days ago, but none the worse for that.  Sometimes we all need to be out of our comfort zone, to have a surprise, I guess

Hadrian's Wall: Chollerford to Housesteads

My crawl along the wall continued today, after a couple of weeks stalling on my part.  Yesterday I made sure I had packed my rucksack, laid out my clothes etc so that I could wake up, get ready and go!  The plan was to drive to Hexham and get the faithful AD122 bus to Chollerford and there resume my walk, ending at Steel Rigg, returning to Hexham on the AD122 again.

I felt optimistic as I walked up to Chesters, stamped my passport and strode on to Walwick.  After all this was a 12 mile section and surely I could get to Steel Rigg in time for the 2.40 bus, the 4.08 at the very latest?  Wrong again!  How much was my walking affected by the fact that I've been worrying about certain things over the past few weeks?  Is this why top athletes go into a kind of bubble, focussing on their training and (Olympic) competition with no distractions permitted?

Of course, the scenery was still wonderful - no skylarks this time but delicate hairbells in the grass, huge skies and vast views all around.  I got the Black Carts where I encountered my first cows - super cows infact - they were huge!  And I'm sure it was only curiosity and friendliness that caused them to cluster between me and the wall.  I took no chances, having hesitated long at the gate, I took my chances on the road.  There were more livestock (udderless variety this time) further along, which caused me more hesitation but I found that a caution approach avoiding eye contact made them disappear off down the field.  Sheep are fine, of course.  I was also buzzed by the RAF, any lower and they could have cut hay, but it was a good day to be out in the country, or above it.

By now the path was seriously boggy in parts, involving detours and even the occasion leap.  I took my inspiration from a Dutch couple here, if they can do it, so can I!  But I was beginning to tire.  Was it mental attitude?  Walking into the wind?  General level of fitness?  Age?  Dehydration?  Who knows.  I stopped for a drink of water and a snack and then carried on.  I could see Sewingshields crags ahead of me and Housesteads was just around the corner!

Trudging on, the corner was a long time coming!  Any slope required a stop, and it was at this point I realised I wasn't going to get to Steel Rigg.  The tyranny of public transport!  Possibly after I had rested I could have continued but it was doubtful.  I walked a way with a young lady who was having problems with her knee which slowed her down to my speed going downhill, she then speeded away on the uphill stretches.  She and her companion crossed the wall at Kings Wicket and I followed sheep-like along a rough track whereas I think I should have kept to the other side of the wall. 

Eventually I came to what I assumed to be the run up to Housesteads as there were plenty of tourists around.  I was fading fast now, so stopped at the trackside for another drink and snack and a rest before continuing up the slope.  Then it happened.  I missed Housesteads!  As I tramped on along a field path, the tourists thinned out and eventually Crag Lough came into view.  The snack had begun to kick in - could I go on?  It was gone 2pm, and having walked this bit of the wall before, I know its charms.  I turned back and caught the 2.45pm AD122 from Housesteads car park.  I really had done enough.