Day 31 - Another H4H group.jpg

With about 4 miles to go I decided to head down from Hadrian's Wall and take the main road. It was then that I stumbled across Simon Mayo, David Jenkins, Colin Reader and William Gringell who are from Cambridgeshire. These great blokes are walking Hadrian's Wall in aid of... you guessed it ... Help For Heroes. Well done lads keep it up.

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Day 31 - Laurence & Margaret McFadyen.jpg

By the time I got to Hadrian's Wall I was slowing down. Lucky for me I met Laurence and Margaret McFadyen who were keen to hear about my adventures. A little encouragement goes a long way to keeping you going. I would also like to thank them for their generous donation. They also noticed how tired I looked and suggested I took the old Roman military road instead of following the contours of Hadrian's Wall.

All the best.

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Day 31 - Derek Storer and Tim.jpg

Unlike yesterday... which I forgot to mention... The Pennine Way has been much better sign posted. Mind you it took me about 4 hours before I met anyone.

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Day 31 - Setting out from Bellingham.jpg

Apart from yesterdays setting out photo I didn't manage to take any others... Why? I hear you ask. Well the answer is simple... its called Thunder, Lightning and heavy rain. Its official, I am now a drowned rat. What's even more worrying is that I'm on top of some high hills whilst there is lightning going on around me, and I'm dressed in a steel back and breast plate carrying a metal-tipped half pike. Stupid springs to mind.

I received a text from Paula telling me to ring BFBS at 14:40. I rang them at 14:30 and went out live on radio...cool.

I arrived at The Cheviot Hotel by 15:40, amazing what bad weather can do for you.

I hung my soldiers coat in the bath to drip dry. After about half an hour you would have thought that I had murdered someone in the bath given the amount of red dye leeching out of the coat. Guess I shall be 'pretty in pink' before I get to Lands End.


When I got down to the bar the landlady informed me that I had been mistaken by the locals for a monk. A monk I say... me?! Maybe it was the pint of Mead I asked for.



The Cheviot Hotel

Bellingham, Hexham, NE48 2AU

Tel. 01434 220696 www.thecheviothotel.co.uk



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Day 30 -.jpg

Arrived here last night at 17:40, got a shower and placed my soldiers coat and trousers outside. Unfortunately it thumped it down and now my kit is soaked. Well, learned a valuable lesson there, don't trust the weather to do what you want.

Because Byrness is a little isolated from restaurants I had an evening meal at the B&B which was cool because I didn't feel like going out. When I came downstairs to eat I met a couple who were so engrossed in each others company they'd forgotten to keep an eye on their fuel gage. So here they were marooned hoping on the good nature of my host to give them a lift to the nearest open garage... 15 miles away. It made me smile.

Anyway, I set out today a little late (0950), weather forecast is... You guessed it... Rain!



The Byrness

Byrness Village, Nr Otterburn, Northumberland, NE19 1TR

Tel. 01830 525231

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Day 29 - Carter Bar (Scottish-English border).jpg

This is it... the moment when I crossed the border between Scotland and England (14:10). I'm full of mixed emotions right now. I'm sad for leaving Scotland because everyone have been so friendly, the different types of scenery have been awe inspiring. Why would I want to leave? Yet by crossing into England I feel a moral boost having completed one country and starting another.

Tonight I rest in an English B&B
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Day 29 - Setting Out.jpg

Weather forecast today is for rain but let's hope I can dodge it. Even though I've had a rest day I'm not sure I'm ready to start out again. I feel right at home here, it's a lovely, picturesque town. Mind you if I don't get going there is the chance that I might just jack it in... so off I set. Besides, I get to cross the border into England today.
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