We did it!!

...and the biggest thanks of all has to go to Debs.

So after watching a movie about setting new challenges, I took it upon myself to volunteer Debs to walk Hadrians Wall with me to try and raise some money for The Kindness Group that Sara White’s Blues has been supporting for some years now.

They are trying to raise money to buy a second hand minibus to help support their efforts in the community with the elderly, homeless and others in need. Something which will make a huge difference to some of the most vulnerable people in our society. 

Debs, bless her, was kinda fine with the thought of an 84 mile walk – until I told her we only had a window of 5 days in which to complete it. And it would need to be sandwiched in between a dance weekender in Scarborough and a workshop the following weekend in Huddersfield.

Obviously you need to be fully prepared when you are doing something like this, so we both went about organising ourselves in our own ways.

Debs is very much a ‘Girl Scout’ kind of organiser. 

She likes to be sure she is ready for every eventuality.

Her packing list looked something like this:

• Waterproof rucksack
• Every type of pain killer on the market.
• Plasters – in every shape and size
• First aid kit
• Fluids for hydration
• Good quality boots
• A selection of socks – pop, ankle, double-layered, thick, thin and spare
• 3 types of jacket – thick, thin and rain
• Hideous jumper
• Spare everything, etc etc.

I’m a bit more of a ‘It’ll be Fine’ person…

So my packing was this:

• Little Purple Rucksack
• Red Lucozade
• Water for the pup
• Cashews
• Wellie Boots
• And Honey Jack!

And off we went.

Day One – Monday 

We left Scarborough after the dance weekend at about 6:30am. Not the easiest thing to do after 3 days of teaching, dancing and DJing. A maybe drinking a glass of wine or two.

We reached the start point on our walk, Segedunum, ready to go at 10am. 

The day was mainly spent walking along the river in Newcastle. Nice weather, plenty of bridges and points of interest, a fantastic meal in a little Italian restaurant for lunch and we made it out to greener areas by mid afternoon.

We’d made up our minds that we were going to get as many steps in as we could on Day One, to make it a little easier on ourselves for the rest of the week – and we managed over 50,000 steps. A first for both of us.

Paul was meeting us at the point we thought we’d finish, but we were 800 steps short of the 50,000 at that point – so we made him track us in the car as pushed on. There is no way we were not achieving that big number by that stage – and that kind of set the tone for the rest of the week really.

Day Two – Tuesday

After picking up the essential coffee and biscuits, we were back at our finish point, which was of course, now our starting point at about 9am.

We walked a full 10 hour day on Day Two, aside from a short break for food. The terrain was much more up and down, we spent nearly the whole time away from the road and there were A LOT of stiles to get over. 

Diwha Dog was a super-hero! He managed all the ladder stiles, all the stone wall stiles, and one of the two thin wooden stiles we encountered. We had to physically hoist him over the other one – and he is not a small dog! 

Debs volunteered for the back end. I’m not sure if that was wise or not – but at least she didn’t get scratched like I did when he suddenly decided he needed to cuddle into him mama!

We made it all the way to Housesteads on Day Two. Over 47000 steps.  But there was no way I was gonna convince Debs to round them up so I quit while we were ahead.

The views were incredible. There were lots of hills and at times we felt that not only were we on top of the world, but that we were the only ones out there in that part of the world. We could see for miles. From where we had come from and how far we still had left to go. We saw our first parts of the wall itself and got a real feeling for the enormity of what it must have been like to build it. 

I would like it known that I did ‘running’ on Day Two. I ran like the wind, down from the top of a hill. I was graceful and swift. Sure footed and confident. And so so fast! 

Unfortunately Debs videoed me running and looking at it, I am convinced she had her camera set to ‘slo-mo’. Somehow she made me look like a giant telly tubby wearing a skirt and waddling like a duck.

I won’t be doing running again. 

If the two young guys, that had the bad timing to be coming towards us in the other direction at that time, happen to read this – I’m sorry! You should not have had to witness that!

Wisely, I had booked us into a farmhouse with a hot tub for Tuesday night. My goodness that was a treat! Outside, on a little balcony, overlooking the rolling hillside, fully immersed in nice hot bubbles – with glasses of bubbles too!

After a few glasses of fizz, Debs and I became aware of a cow that appeared to be stuck in stream in the field next to us. The baby calf seemed to be getting quite distressed and the mum didn’t seem able to free herself. 

Rather than trying to find out who the farmer was, we decided to send Paul on a recce mission…. (We obviously couldn’t go – we were bubbling)

Paul took this responsibility very seriously, and in his white converse trainers, climbed the gate and headed into the field. Unfortunately, because of the angle of the stream, he wasn’t quite able to see if the cow was actually stuck from that field, so he headed back, down the lane, over another gate and into the field behind.

We, in the hot-tub, on the balcony, were obviously watching with great interest. 

There was a wall in the field and we could see Paul walking along the edge of it.

And then we couldn’t see him walking along the edge of it. 

He’d disappeared. 

Downwards.

Panic not! For in a matter of seconds his head popped up and he was back on his feet. The look in our direction didn’t seem to be his most friendly, but hey ho…

At the end of the wall was the stream. 

“Leap! Like a gazelle!” we shouted encouragingly from our hot-tub on the balcony.

After assessing the situation, Paul decided that his best course of action was to roll up the legs of his jeans and wade through the very muddy stream. 

In his white converse trainers. 

It turned out to be a little bit deeper than it looked.

He managed to make it to the cow. And obviously not wanting to distress her further thought he’d try and encourage her out by putting his hands on his knees – and calling her. He hasn’t confessed to what he actually said, but it looked like ‘Here cow cow cow, here cow!” from where we were sitting. In the hot-tub. On the balcony.

I mean, we were a few glasses in by this point and at severe risk of death by laughter-induced drowning but we soldiered on!

After a while, Paul clearly decided he was going to need some help for this job so headed back. Through the muddy, smelly stream. Along the wall, complete with big slippery patch, over the gate with bare legs and wet trainers and back along the lane. 

Which is when the cow got out of the stream and wandered off with her calf… 

Day Three – Wednesday

The day the heavens opened – and never closed again!

This was always going to be the toughest day. The day with the steepest climbs, trickiest descents and hardest going to get in the number of steps needed to keep on track. And then the rains came…

Luckily we had Guardian Angels on our side – in the form of Morris & Judith. 

For some reason Morris & Judith were a little sceptical about my ability to be fully prepared for this adventure, so late on Tuesday they got in touch to ask if there was anything we would need to help us through the awful weather coming in. 

And they turned up at our Wednesday starting put with a van FULL of stuff!

Obviously the first thing that happened is that I got told off by Morris for doing the walk in wellie boots – but at least my feet stayed dry!

Fully prepared now with waterproof socks, trousers (I’d forgotten mine!) better jackets, gloves and actual walking companions! Morris & Judith were waterproofed up and joining us on this section of the walk!

So on the toughest day, in driving rain, sideways rain, heavy rain, rain that splashed upwards, with slippery descents, steep climbs mud and more rain – we were joined by the best walking buddies ever. 

Morris shared a wealth of information about the wall and the area and walking in general. Judith complimented me on the elegance of my landing when I slipped and fell.  They were relentlessly jolly, hugely supportive and they even went above and beyond by treating us to a delicious lunch. 

Debs and I both agree that the temptation to give up was never greater than that day – but having these fabulous people with us got us through it and despite taking a few wrong turns, we definitely walked further than we would otherwise have done. Which kept us on track to achieve it all in the 5 days planned.

And when they met us at the finish of that days’ walk with a big glass of wine and boot bananas to help dry out Debs boots for the next day – we were well chuffed! Thanks guys!

Onwards then to the accommodation we had booked for the next two nights – only to find that the relentless rain had caused a giant waterfall on the INSIDE of the kitchen. Of course, by the time we realised we had already emptied all of our luggage out of the car and the thought of trying to find somewhere else so late, when we were so tired was more than a little tough.

Thankfully, we found somewhere. It was lovely. And it had a big deep bath and a full tank of hot water. Perfect!

Day 4 – Thursday

Still raining, but not relentlessly. We wanted a nice early start, but the petrol station where we stopped to pick up our coffee was completely flooded. It took us an age to get out of there but at least we had coffee.

The effect of all that rain meant MUD. Lots and lots of mud, mud, mud. 

Not just your regular type of mud. Knee-deep, cow-poop filled, squelchy, gloopy, all encompassing MUD. 

That feeling when cold, smelly mud flows over the top of your boots and you know you have a whole day of squelching ahead of you is really something else. 

But that wasn’t the only highlight of Day 4. 

Day 4 was when we came across the cows. Or more specifically, the baby bullocks. The frisky baby bullocks that had been kept inside all winter and were more than a little excited to be let out into the green fields. And super-interested in everything. Including us! 

It has to be said, Debs is not a fan of cows. She is even less a fan of baby bulls. 

I had already had a previous encounter with a grumpy bullock last year when one decided to give me a headbutt on my hip during a walk in the Peak District – so I’m not overly keen on having them block my route either. 

Which is exactly what they did on Day 4. 

A whole bunch of them stood, very determinedly, between us and the gate we needed to get through. There was no other way around. We had a tight schedule and we were definitely getting tired at this stage. 

We asked ourselves “What would Morris do in this situation?”

I said that he’d probably sacrifice Debs for the greater good of the mission – and suggested she go ahead and distract them…

She wasn’t hugely impressed with suggestion A. 

Suggestion B then.

After my previous headbutt encounter, a young girl had been practising her cartwheels next to the bullocks – and one fell over!

So, suggestion B was for Debs to do a cartwheel, cause one or two to fall over – then while the others were trying to work out what was going on, we’d make a dash for the gate. 

It turns out that Debs isn’t a fan of doing cartwheels either.

By this stage the herd was getting curious. Coming straight towards us while at the same time blocking our way to the exit. 

There was only one thing for it.

My Teacher Voice!

And that’s when I found myself standing knee deep in mud, with Debs bravely standing hidden behind me, telling cows in my firmest Teacher Voice, “No! You go that way! I said, THAT way! That’s it. All of you. That’s it. Thank you. Now play nicely and have a good day!”

And we made it to the exit!!

By now there were less hills and we were starting to make some good progress.

The lack of pubs and toilet facilities on this part of our route were starting to cause a few anxieties but we soldiered on. Right up until the point we found ourself stranded, in the middle of a flooded field with absolutely no way forward.

There was nothing else to do but to double back and find another way around.

Which turned out to be a long way back and a horrible way forward – along the side of a major A-road with no pathway.  That late in the day, with still so far to walk, on a road that felt more than a little dangerous at times – that was a tough bit. 

Eventually we found civilisation – and a pub! With a toilet and a glass of prosecco. 

Debs ordered the drinks, I headed straight to the loo. 

Where I slipped on the tiled floor due to the damn wellie boots.

Thankfully I saved myself before I fell.

But wearing full waterproofs and feeling oh so tired – I couldn’t get my vest tucked in right, so I cried!  What a weirdo! 

A glass of prosecco later, a chat with my youngest and her massively supportive friends on the phone, a hug with Debs and I was good to go again.  Bless those girls serving in the pub – they thought we were totally crazy but wished us the best of luck in finishing our challenge.

Another 47000 step day achieved.

Day 5 – Friday – our last day!

We started the day knowing that this was it. The day we’d get to the finish line. We were upbeat, positive, but really quite tired. 

Because of the rain and the flooding we’d lost track of where we could rejoin the path. So we started at Eden Bridge where we’d finished the night before and decided that our first priority was to give the pupster a chance for a pee and poop. And that’s when we accidentally stumbled across the acorn sign we had been following for the entirety of our walk – boom!

This section of the walk took us away from town, along the bank of the river. 

There was still so much flooding, so more sections of our walk were blocked and we had to find ways around.  Mainly through more mud and over a main road or two but we kept to the line of the walk. The pupster was more than happy to have a little wallow in the flood water. Debs was less than happy when he wanted to cuddle up to her after. The smell of wet dog added a little ‘je ne sais quoi’ to our combined smell of cow-poop, mud, old wet boots and physical exertion for sure! 

There is a certain excitement about knowing you are going to achieve the challenge you have set for yourself. 

But boy did this section of the walk bash that out of us!

We both agreed that if we had started the walk from this end there is no way that we would have achieved. 

It was relentless.

Totally, utterly, boringly, straight, gravel road, dull relentlessness!

We did get dragged into a beautiful little church on the way which was a lovely little interlude. (and the only time I have ever used toilet facilities with a stained glass window) But standing still while learning the history of the area and the church definitely made our sore feet a good bit sorer. 

This day was hard, with very little to report.

But we made it to the finish!

Only to find that two people, who hadn’t done the walk, but had only strolled down from the carpark – refused to move out of the way for us to take a decent picture of our big finish! 

I would have thought that the sight of Debs in THAT jumper would have been enough to scare them off, but no… they are in all of our finish pics. Hey ho!

After that it was cheesey chips and garlic bread in the local pub, a celebratory glass of prosecco and the long drive onwards to our next overnight stay.

It felt like a massive achievement, but also, quite an anti-climax in a way.

But then we saw the donations!

Not only had we achieved the target we had set for ourselves – we had more than doubled it.

What an incredibly generous, supportive and kind bunch of dancers we are lucky to know.

Everytime the phone pinged, letting us know there was another donation, we both found ourselves with a bit more of a spring in our step and a smile on our faces. Those donations made all the difference to us.

But more importantly – they are going to make all the difference to the community that the Kindness Group are supporting.

The more money we manage to raise, the bigger the difference we can make. Together.

So thank you! For everything…

Paul and Diwha Dog as ‘support crew’ were wonderful. There is no way we could have coped with the driving and the doubling back to move cars etc, and it was such a big deal knowing that there was help along the way if we needed it.

Biggest thanks of all has to go to Debs.

The best friend, walking buddy, partner in crime, up for anything, good, kind soul it is possible to have with you. On this quest. And in life.

Thanks Debs…

What shall we do next?

A little about Sue, and the Kindness Group.

For over 7 years now, and from humble beginnings, Sue has been helping the most vulnerable people in our society.

She started collecting donations for the food bank - which has seen a huge rise in recent years in the numbers of people who now need to rely on the service...

...and she now supports people who find themselves in need from all corners of our society.

• Many people in 2 income families are now unable to feed their families due to the cost of living crisis.
  
• Domestic violence victims who have left their homes with virtually nothing and need to start all over again.
  
• Prison leavers who are given a place to live and make a new start – but need the basics to get going. 
  
• Care leavers who are in the same position.
  
• People who are homeless and need clean clothes, food, toiletries etc.

With kindness, and without judgement, Sue works tirelessly to help anyone and everyone she can.

By helping to raise money for the minibus, we will be helping Sue to help others.

That sounds like a very good thing to do!