| Over The Hills And Faraway: Mark Radcliffe on Walking Hadrian’s Wall |
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Every year Disability North looks for people who want the exciting and rewarding test of walking 84 miles in 4 days on the Disability North Hadrian’s Wall Challenge. The Challenge follows the same path that Radio 2 hosts Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie tread when they walked the length of the Hadrian’s Wall in September of this year.
As we launch the Hadrian’s Wall Challenge 2010 we caught up with Mark Radcliffe who kindly agreed to spare us some time to share his experiences of the walk. What were your favourite parts of the walk? Well you've got to go for the mid section haven't you? Banks to Chollerford, breathtaking! Each year we have done it we have had a number of casualties and every walker seemed to end up with blisters. Did you have any ailments/injuries? Stu had a bit of a stiff leg but being pretty much a perfect physical specimen I got away without any problem really. (I did get some slight chaffing in a private area, but let's leave that there shall we?). How fit were you for the walk and did you find it tough? We tell people they have to be experienced walkers but still have had problems with people completely underestimating what long distance walking is. I'm not that unfit as I walk my dog every day and go to the gym three times a week (for a pint). Plus I'd walked 132 miles round the coast of Anglesey at Easter. Having said all that I'm 51 and find anything over 15 miles a day a bit of a strain these days. It did make me really tired at the end of the day, but in an exhilarating kind of way if that makes sense. What were your favourite hostelries/cafes along the way? We stayed at a super posh country house hotel called Farlam Hall near Brampton. Just fantastic food and service. Not that we stayed in places that high end all the time. We stayed at Twice Brewed, enjoyed warm hospitality at Willowford Farm, and High House Farm Brewery is worth a stop. Oh and The Belted Will pub was holding a leek show when we stopped by. That was a first for me! We do our walk over 4 days, but the disadvantage is there isn’t much time to “stop and stare” Did you have time to appreciate the historical elements of the walk? I couldn't do it that quickly! If you only have a long weekend - just go for the middle bit - Banks to Chollerford. I'm going back to do that section in the snow and stay at Willowford Farm someday soon. If you had to try and persuade people why they should walk Hadrian’s Wall what would you say? There is something really special about crossing the country of your birth on foot. And also it is a walk of great contrasts from the bleak, flat splendour of the Solway Firth on the west, through the high crags and onto the buzzing city of Newcastle. Plus, you really feel the history on that mid section. Given your day jobs could you name one song to sum-up the whole experience? “Over the Hills and Faraway” by Led Zeppelin. So do you want to follow in the footsteps of Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie, by taking on the Hadrian’s Wall Challenge in aid of Disability North? The walk will take place between the 20th and 23rd May 2010 and is the fourth year the charity has held the fundraising event. However, unlike Mark and Stuart who took 6 days to complete the 84 mile trek, Disability North will do it in just four days. That’s why the event is rightly called ‘The Hadrian’s Wall Challenge’. Ruth Woodfine has signed up for 2010 already, she said: “This walk is definitely a challenge. Not only do we have to train for months before the event; we also have to cover the 84 miles in just four days. I have to say that it is one of the best experiences I have had, even if it was exhausting. For anyone who likes to challenge themselves physically and enjoys meeting new people, this is the event for them. 2010 will be my fourth year so it really must be good.” Be part of history and join Disability North’s Hadrian’s Wall Challenge by contacting Clare Savory at Disability North or e-mail us by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Disability North would like to thank Mark Radcliffe and Lizzie Hoskin for their contribution to this article. Sponsor the Team! Every year Disability North looks for people who want the exciting and rewarding challenge of walking 84 miles in 4 days. This year you too can be part of the Challenge without taking a single step. You can do this by sponsoring the team of Disability North walkers. To find out more contact Kevin Wright at Disability North or e-mail us by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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