Hiking Hadrian's Wall

Hiking Hadrian's Wall was not really on my bucket list, but some other friends proposed the idea and I went along with it.  I am not a big hiker and as I age and accumulate those nagging physical ailments I wondered if I would be able to complete the 5 days of hiking.

I bought hiking boots and did NOT break them in as everyone told me to.  I don't follow directions very well.  I wore them once, up the hill in Burlington VT but I don't think that counts as breaking them in.

Well, a few weeks after we completed our hiking I am here to say that I am thrilled to have taken on this challenge.  Part of my anxiety was not knowing what to expect from the hiking.  How hard would it be?  What does 13 miles of hiking feel like and look like?  Would my boots fit OR would I get blisters?  Would I hold up the group?  Would it rain for 5 days straight?  Would my waterproof be sufficient? yadda yadda yadda

OUCH, will I be able to stand and walk?

Each day was like a new book and it was like a slow wonderful novel that you cannot stop reading.  The views were amazing and the company was incredibly supportive. Even when my knee buckled and I did a somersault, coming down a pretty steep rock laden path, the other 7 hikers were there for me and attentive to my injury but not too attentive.  That day after my fall, I hiked 8 miles.  The knee was tight, but I kept going.  I got into a very zen like state and my mantra became "One foot in front of another"

I grew to love the turnstiles and cantilevered rock stairs.  I never got tired of whipping out my camera to take more pictures of the sheep.  The vistas were incredibly beautiful.  Each Bed and Breakfast we staying in was beautiful and perfect.  The best part of each day was taking off my muddy hiking boots and not discovering too many blisters.

My learning is that I will always have anxiety as I take on a new physical challenge but if I deprive myself of these opportunities I will miss the pictures of sheep and beautiful Roman Walls.  As I return to Vermont I am planning on pulling the hiking boots out and taking on some of the challenging hikes we have up here, but I think I will start with some easy ones and build up to more challenging ones.

I am so glad to check this trip off of my non-bucket list.