Day 10

Walwick to Once Brewed (August 2013)
12 miles
Weather:  Strong westerly wind (17 mph), sunny intervals, slight rain showers

Oh the pure joy of waking up on a Monday morning and knowing you do not have to get up and go to work. The sheer pleasure of  a week full of walking with a good friend in a glorious place.

We enjoyed a tasty, filling breakfast with homemade jam and home grown tomatoes. We met a young Italian couple at breakfast who are walking Hadrian's Wall and followed by the West Highland Way.

We were soon back on the trail with memories, for me, of 2004.  Broccolita Fort and the Mithras temple all present and correct.  I left a votive offering at the temple - a whole 2p.  There were lots of people out walking today on this very popular trail so lots of "hellos", "good mornings", "isn't it windy!" comments. The wall was very much in evidence today along with the vallum and ditch and the ever present military road.  We had fantastic views in all directions with high, scudding clouds above us.  We stopped for lunch and met a volunteer path warden.  He has a 3km stretch to take care of and we walked along with him for a short time.  He shared lots of interesting snippets about the history of the wall.   

We tramped past mile castles and turrets today which I loved - I do enjoy a ruin.   Housesteads was busy and we walked on by - it's not free and the toilets were miles way!  Our next major milestone was the junction with the Pennine Way at Rapishaw Gap - happy memories for Mrs C.  I am very glad to report on this trip I did see and admire the Sycamore tree at Sycamore Gap.  I completely failed to look at it on my last trip as I was v. tired after a very long 18 mile day...so this time we stopped and took photos.  The excitement today was increased by seeing an adder on the path.  I just managed to get the camera out in time and take a snap -a beautiful creature. 

We arrived at Once Brewed Youth Hostel at 4:00pm just as reception was opening.  Showers, dinner booked, laundry done and journal written up - we are a well oiled machine when it comes to the end of a day's walking.  We had dinner at the hostel which was grim - my fresh fruit salad was from a tin....  We toddled off to the Twice Brewed pub which was buzzing with walkers, including the Italian couple we met at the B&B,  cyclists, diners and  day trippers  .  A lovely, sociable end to  a very enjoyable day.