上山下山之英國哈德良長城之旅 - Day 3

07/06 陰天+微雨


大約7點左右起床，拉筋熱身後，就下樓吃飽飽的早餐，因為不喜歡煙肉，前一天跟老闆娘Sandra要求改要蘑菇和蕃茄，這幾天要吃蔬菜的機會就只有早餐。

09:00開始31公里崎嶇長征。

從Greencarts B&B 轉出大路就是一小段哈德良城牆及長長的古羅馬深坑，一直走大約45分鐘就到古羅馬城堡遺址Brocolitia，當中還包括供奉Mithras的廟宇遺址。

 古羅馬城堡遺址Brocolitia

 於1949年由John Gillam發掘的Mithras神廟遺址

這路段是全程最刺激，上山落山多而且風景也最好的，只可惜天色灰暗還下毛毛雨，有點冷。經過Coesike 瞭望塔 33B (check-point: 10:40)，是時候上山。第一個可觀的景觀是綿綿城牆Sewingshields Crags (crags是峭壁的意思)，之後是不斷的山: Kennel Crags, Housesteads Crags, Cuddy’s Crags, Hotbank Crags, Peel Crags, Winshield Crags, Cawfield Crags及最後的Walltown Crags，所以這是整個旅程最花體能的一天，路段崎嶇且有點危險，不過這也是最完整及「原裝」的哈德良城牆。

Sewingshields Crags

瞭望塔 35A

 Knag Burn Gate

 以前一直在南部活動，想像不到北部有懸崖

 Sycamore Gap (check-point: 13:37)

 已經在高地，開始覺得累

 Green Slack - 是全程最高點 (345米) check-point: 14:45

經過Green Slack已經走了2/3段路，體能快花光，但最陡斜的路段Cockmount Hill及Walltown Crags還未走，腳底的水胞痛得要命，只好一拐一拐。走到「亞瑟王瞭望台」(King Arthur’s Turret, Turret 44B)已是17:11，幸好初夏日長夜短，這時還有日光，不怕，不過望望極陡斜的山崖，心有點慌，因為看不見一個人，如果有什麼意外，我必死無疑。

 下毛毛雨，地有點滑，上山下山頗吃力

 瞭望台44B，也叫「亞瑟王瞭望台」(King Arthur’s Turret)

過了「亞瑟王瞭望台」往下走到Walltown Farm，腳越來越痛，也走得越來越慢，我沒有心情看風景，一心想盡快完成今日的挑戰，農場的路一點也不好走，高低不平之餘還要小心滿地的牛糞羊糞，不是怕污糟，只是是怕一時不慎滑倒。繼續走到Walltown Quarry (check-point: 17:39)，見到一間小賣店稍時休息，竟見到那盒我遺留在倫敦家的水胞藥用膠布，差點哭了出來，因為如果我還買不到膠布，怕之後1.5天路可能不能再走下去。

 Walltown Quarry

 一段長的古羅馬深坑，多走幾分鐘就到Thirlwall Castle

還有差不多半個鐘頭的路，繼續努力呀！不過這時發覺我竟然忘了帶旅館的地址和電話，幸好頭腦還清醒，坐在山坡上打電話給在利物浦的Carol，請她查看我的電郵找Four Wynds的電話，之後再打電話去找老闆Nigel，他很好，叫我在Thirlwall Castle等他開車過來接我。

回到Four Wynds已過六點，上到房間馬上洗澡休息，之後上網上Facebook，看見本來相約在路上相遇來自阿根廷的Ariel，他問我在哪裡，還給我他身處的GPS位置，哈哈，原來他就在我隔壁房間，實在太巧合了。之後我們在客廳傾談了一個多小時，我就回房間拉筋休息。

 今日的終點 - Thirlwall Castle

Day 3 - Chollerford to Greenhead

Sandra of the Greencarts B&B offered a generous BIG breakfast and I must confess that this B&B is very good and caring. A portable heater was a bonus which dried all washed clothes (Dry-fit sport apparels are not a problem but the thick trekking socks need to be dried) and I was so ‘clever’ to turn on the heater too. Most of the B&Bs will not turn on the central heater as it was already in June.

Okay, I started to walk at 09:00. Once turned to the main path, a long Roman ditch and a site called Brocolitia which was a Roman fort with a little temple attributed to Mithras. Today’s trek pattern was exciting with a lot of ups and downs. After the Coesike Turret 33B, it was time to go uphill. The first fantastic view was Sewingshields Crags with a fine stretch of Wall. Following with Housesteads Crags, Cuddy’s Crags, Hotbank Crags, Peel Crags, Winshield Crags, Cawfield Crags and finally the Walltown Crags. The crags are linked up by the original Wall and the stone wall formed an amazing picture.

上山下山之英國哈德良長城之旅 - Day 2

6/6 間中天晴+陰天

今天大約六時便起身，發現在房間但竟然不能上網，走到客廳看到modem關了，屋主應該沒想到有客人一大清早就上網....自己駁上電線就OK。在房間待到0830才下去吃早餐。感謝屋主John太太為我準備豐富早餐。

0900離開，0915到油站對面的Three Tuns正式開始是日旅程。前半部的路程多是高速公路及農場，0945第一個check point就是還未發掘的Rudchester Fort，現在是一片小荒地，旁邊是個農場，過了農場就遇上長城的第一個「樓梯」(stile)；在這134公里長的旅程中，這種樓梯及石造的梯級差不多有139個，我當時沒有數，因為當雙腿已經累得要斷，加上雨天令路更難走，可謂步步小心，根本沒有閒情逸緻仔細欣賞，更何來時間細數沿途有多少路障。
上路了(check-point time: 0910)





路途上不少這些提醒遊人的牌子,遠足之時也要保護環境,畢竟很多農場開放自己的地方由人自由經過,所以大家也要守規矩



根據guidebook說，這裡可以看到Mile Castle13的外型，但我看不到



到了Rudchester Fort (Vindobala) (check-point time: 0945)
Moooooooo
這是旅程不可缺少的power fuel

yeah,這是第一個「真正」的stamp-point @ Robin Hood Inn


遇見一個同樣為籌款而來的fellow - Tony Duff

超過80%的Hadrian's Wall Trail都是「重重關卡」- 這是stile，我沒有數過有多少個這樣的關卡，應該超過50個

下雨了 - 第一段比較有睇頭的城牆，也在這裡遇上芬蘭男孩 (check-point time: 1515)，我也變了「落湯Moo」

沒有入內參觀,只是買幾張postcard及蓋章而已,也與芬蘭男孩分開了. 不是他不帥或者我們語言不通,只是累了不想多聊,他看來有點失望,可能是他不大清楚如何走到Greenscarts,但我還是要跟他說: 直走就會到....太忍心吧!

 1715到達Greencarts B&B,這是在二樓的房間

Day 2 - Heddon-on-Wall to Chollerford

After a big breakfast, time to start a 24km walk.

Today's trek was another 24km walk with 70% flat road. Everything seemed to be perfect at the beginning - Sunshine and moderate weather.

there are many signs to show directions and to remind people to be responsible as many farms are kind to let visitors pass. It maybe a disaster if people forget to shut the gate and animal run away.

according to the guidebook there is the point to see Mile Castle 13 but i saw nothing

Rudchester Fort (Vindobala) (check-point time: 0945) 

why you cows stared at me all the time? (at Vindobala, an unearthed Roman fort site)

power fuel was essential

I reached the second summer passport stamp point at Robin Hood Inn and met several fellow walkers. Tony Duff from Manchester also does the trek for charity, Help for Heroes. Many fellow walkers use JustGiving.com for raising fund for various purposes. Here's Tony's page: http://www.justgiving.com/hadrianswallwalk2010

this is a wooden stile between farms and there should be over 50 of these on the trail. They make the walk more tough but very important to the farm owner and their animal.

yeah, got the 2nd stamp at Robin Hood Inn

Tony and Harry the Hero Bear

Leaving Tony behind, I headed to Chollerford.

Rambler Rest, a place I took a short breat with a can of 'warm' Light Coke...better than nothing. I needed something sweet.

Rain started at 14:00. All I needed to change a thin light-weight Dri-fit windbreaker to a thick Goretex jacket quickly. I did not curse the weather. It was because there were 2 sunny days with 25-32c. The rain was not heavy but just ignoring enough. You cannot predict the weather here and even 100% trust the weather forecast. UK weather is UNPREDICTABLE.

Rain Rain Rain

Later on, I met a young walker from Finland who studies Law in Luton and we walked together till Chesters. Both of us stayed at the Greencarts B&B (I made a reservation but he just walked-in) but I paid a short visit at Chesters Fort. So he went ahead.

Oh, I had no mood to visit the site but just got the stamp and took a short break