So we woke up, walked, eat and slept. Although this is true, we saw and experienced so much more.
We woke and had a fantastic full English breakfast together. After discussing the weather and deciding what to wear on our feet, backs, legs and heads. The anticipation for the start of walk was seen in everones face. We have prepared for this for months, and now we were minutes away from starting it. We packed up our bags with the Gatoraid that was kindly provided by Britvic drinks. This took everyones bags over the 16kg limit but we thought that would be OK.

Once packed and bags addressed to our next B&B, we all went down to the North Sea for a few pictures with Whitley Bay as the back drop. This seaside town was in it's heyday in the 50's and 60's as it was often visited by Glaswegian factory workers for their annual month off. A direct train link making this a popular choice. Alas, today, it looks like it has had it's own austerity measures for the last few years. It's a bit run down but was a great nights stop for us. Although we were by the water, we weren't at the beginning of Hadrian's Wall. That was about 5 miles away at the town called Wallsend. We didn't have the walking route and it was conveniently only a 15 minute train ride away.

Metro is Newcastle's own city railway. Not only did it let reveller get to the nightlife but were also able to see the morning after for many Hen and Stag parties. One guy was wearing the biggest black eye I had seen since reading Big Dan in the Dandy as a kid. Apperently we should have seen the other guy!

Wallsend is also a town that had passed its peak. We were met outside the station with the shell of a massive burnt out pub. Always a sorry sight. About 5 minutes walk away was the Museum that was built on the site of the Roman baths, barracks and burial site of 600 soldiers. After getting our Passport signed (get all seven stamps and you get a free badge saying you've walked the wall!) we walked along the River Tyne. There were remnents of the original wall near the museum but all of this days walk had sufferd rock borrowing over the years. Not until the end of the day did we see parts of the original wall again. More on that tomorrow as we shall start from there.

The river banks were strewn with derelict buildings. Company names I had heard of as a kid (Swan Hunter etc.) were still there but not producing the great ships that once left their docks. The pathway here was shared as a bicycle route and the continuel group cry of bike bike bike could be heard for the next few miles. Many riders were families from abroad starting or finishing their ride along the wall. We met a couple of Dutch guys walking the same route as us but only Eric and Adam could have kept up with them.

The only other people on the pathway were dog walkers. Mostly walking Pitbulls or other terriers. Boy there was a lot of fouling here. We all smiled when we saw three boys walking their Shetland Pony. We gave that mess a very wide berth!.

For about 3 or 4 miles the area felt very depressed. This peaked when we smelled a strong smell of tar. A sign on a railing didn't just say 'No Swimming' but gave the reason as 'Chemical contamination from local Tar works - Poisonous environment.' We didn't venture on to the banks but I thought what chance have we cleaning the current oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico if we can't clear up a tar spill on the bank of a river which has been there for decades?

Walking on at a moderate pace we did stop a few times for sock adjustment or application of magic creams to feet and legs. A couple of miles later we were entering the City area. I think locals call it the 'Toon'. As we cornered a bend in the river, we were greeted with the MIllenium Bridge just rising for an oncoming boat. After seeing it rise and fall, Pip decided to run across it as she thought it was one of the most inpiring bridges in the country.

Just after the bridge we had to walk through a market. Bratwursts, sweets , and doughnuts all around us. I knew in a few days time it would have seemed like a mirage. We made it through and then saw the New Castle high on a hill. I wondered what happened to the old castle.

Now I must say that from the museum, Mark, Patrick, Kirsty and Michaela had donned their Tutu's. It took some guts walking through the derelict areas like this but nothing prepared the attention MArk was getting walking past drinkers outside the pubs in Toon. He definitely needed a chaparome when visiting the gents!

Once we started to leave the city we started walking through many suburbs of Newcastle. Not a lot of green but we started to see tree lined walkways. This was great but everything we had walked on so far was tarmac or cobble. This is why many decided to use trainers rather than walking boots as this had been hard work on the Cambridge walk the week before.
Gradually the housing areas reduced and we felt like we were getting into the country. We kept seeing walkers and cyclists going in the opposite direction. With only a few miles to go, we could see that they had been through a lot of hardship to get this far. Three young soldiers were about to complete the walk in only three days. We felt very inadequate then, but boy they were fit.

We found a pub (The Boat House) that was right on the walk. The staff were inviting and even made a donation to our charity. After a pint and packet of crisps we ventured out for the last 5 miles of the day. In all we walked 13.5 miles but it was the last 2 miles that started to test us. I say us, but just before this, the other 4 guys decided to walk along the river about a mile to their B&B rather than to the agreed taxi pick up point (we don't walk from the wall to the B&B thank god). Many thanks to the kind young lady in the photo below for her donation to the BCRT.

This last 2 miles was up hill. Kind of 500 feet up hill. The girls did brilliantly but were adamant that the other guys should walk this bit as if they don't - they will be cheating as they didn't do the whole walk. I'm asking you all to text them or phone them to ensure they restore their pride buy doing the first uphill stage. They might just get a taxi to the top!!

Once the four girls and I got to the top, we were met by a taxi to take us to our B&B - The Bay Horse Inn. We ordered a Sunday Roast and received the largest plate of food I've seen in years. Great quality and fantastic value. Many thanks to Julie for kind donation to BCRT.

After dinner we all retired to rest our souls and soles to get ready for the second day of our Wall walk. THanks for reading this far and I hope it's given you a feel for what we have been up to.

Many thanks for everyones texts and FaceBook updates. It's nice to be in contact.

Bye 4 now
JOhn Hemsley

Accomodation - Bay Horse Inn - Stamfordham - Excellent food and lovely atmosphere.
Boys stayed at Bistro En Glaze - Wylam. What a fantastic restaurant and B& B