I got up at about 5:05am. I say I got up, but to be honest I did not sleep. The Cumbrian wind was banging against the windows of the hotel all night. To make matters worse it was raining and the wind was still strong, with the forecast for the rest of the day looking grim. We had to be at Lanercost Priory for 6am to catch the coach to the starting point at Brocolitia Roman Fort. Two things were on my mind during the coach journey; I hoped my trousers were waterproof (they were not), and fair play to the guy dressed as a Roman Soldier. Helmet, chest guard, sword and shorts. Now that was commitment in that weather. He pulled out a couple of miles in though apparently... By the time we had actually arrived at the Fort (it was literally a carpark) and everyone was ready, it was approximately 7:45am when we began the hike and it was the to beginning of a long day.
I can honestly say I would be happy if I never saw that wall again. Such a positive statement to make from a history student, right? I really enjoy hiking, I like to view different places, but this was tough. Really tough. Both myself and Adam both agreed that it was tougher than doing the Yorkshire Three Peaks. From my point of view it was tougher because of the weather. By heck, it was not nice for the first fifteen miles at all. Last year we had perfect walking conditions, this year we had strong wind and rain. Mixed together it is never good. Some of the views were absolutely stunning and it is a real shame I did not get to appreciate them fully because I had to have my hood up. The view I had for the majority of the first fifteen miles was of cow poo, which is always delightful.
The first fifteen miles of the trek was like being on a rollercoaster. We were constantly going up and down hills which in the conditions was made even harder and I am not ashamed to say I ended up on my backside twice. Thankfully the weather subsided for the last ten miles which meant I could enjoy what the beautiful area had to offer. Despite this section being alot flatter, the hills of the first fifteen miles really takes it out of you.
Despite the weather and despite the achy joints and blisters that accompany such an activity, it was well worth. All four of us are chuffed to bits with the support we have received from friends, family and kind strangers. OCD-UK and Mind were specifically chosen for personal reasons amongst the four of us and are two fantastic charities who do a lot of great work for people suffering with mental health problems. From my own point of view though, raising awareness for mental health issues, especially Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, is something I am very passionate about. So to do this hike in the name of OCD-UK meant a lot, and I plan to do more for them. What I am trying to say is thank you. Thank you to all you lovely people for supporting us with your donations and kind words. The two charities, as well as the four of us, really appreciated it. A special mention must also go to the three wonderful people who did the hike with me. It was my idea to do it so I have been taking the deserved stick for the aches and pains that they are now feeling. Mark and Jenna especially, who have no prior experience of hiking, deserve so much credit. Not that me or Adam are in anyway hiking Gods, but we have done a fair bit of walking in the past, whereas those two have not. To come in and do that they should be very proud of themselves. Well done you three, bless you!
Now there is actually another reason why I have decided to write a blog post on our hike. It is because the owner of the hotel we stayed in asked us too. Yeah, that is right, he asked us to blog about him. Well, Tantallon House, his hotel. So here we go Roger, you lovely man who makes a mean egg breakfast, this is your mention. In all seriousness, Roger is a top bloke and Tantallon House is a lovely hotel. If you are ever planning on staying in Cumbria I would highly recommend it. To top it all off he is also going to make a donation to OCD-UK. Top service, top food and a warm welcome is certainly guaranteed. I feel like their agent!
It is now time to start thinking about our next challenge. I want to do something bigger. However, I might go on holiday next year...
Once again thanks for the amazing support. We all really appreciate it.
Matt.
