Day 17: End of phase 2

Start: East Wallhouses

End: Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Distance: 14 miles

It was a long rainy night and my sleep was very patchy, but I made peace with this, knowing I had rest up ahead. After breakfast, we began the final miles of this route into Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The weather was changeable, bright sun followed by dense cloud cover that threatened the inevitable rain. The route continued to follow the road all the way into the city, but mostly managed to avoid walking directly adjacent to the traffic, following gentle paths along fields. As we approached Heddon-on-the-wall we met a couple of men who were working for National Trails, ensuring the route was well maintained. Of all the National Trails I have hiked, this by far is the best in terms of accurate and frequent waymarking, allowing people to walk the route without navigation skills.

Following Heddon-on-the-wall, the route became increasingly urban as we approached the outskirts of Newcastle which reminded me that this phase of my journey was coming to a conclusion. The final section followed a flat, tarmac lined cycle route into the city where the trail ends. There were many other walkers who were at the beginning of their journeys, heading west from Newcastle.

The busy roads and volume of people in Newcastle was a little overwhelming compared to the quiet countryside I'd been walking through. But I knew the city would provide me with everything I needed in order to rest and recover before entering the final chapter of my journey. Over the last 5 days I have completed an 84 mile journey from Bowness-on-Soloway on the West Coast to Newcastle in the East. I've travelled from Cumbria to Northumberland passing through diverse scenery and witnessed vast sections of Hadrian's Wall, the finest surviving frontier work of the Roman empire. Although the previous two days were a little disappointing in terms of scenery, I would highly recommend the stretch from Bowness-on-Soloway to Chollerford in terms of both the scenery and the historical interest. As you begin to approach Newcastle, sightings of the wall are sparse and although the route is flat and gentle, there is little of interest. Another draw to this trail, is the variety of people you meet from across the world and the accessibility and ease of the trail opens it up to walkers of all abilities. The sheer contrast from my remote days of solitude in the Welsh hills to the frequent "Good mornings" in the English countryside, really has given this adventure refreshing variety. The middle section of this trail that offered remarkable views of the wall as it meandered over the hills of Northumberland was extremely rewarding and has also inspired me to pursue the Pennine Way in the future, as this section crossed over with this route.

From here I will rest up in Newcastle before I travel to Fort William to complete the final phase of my adventure. Sam's leg has now finished, 70 miles from Carlisle to Newcastle and he'll return home to bask in the comfort of life inside. Despite a few minor injuries that added challenge to his hike, he pushed through and showed resilience during the long days. Over the last 17 days, I've hiked daily miles ranging from 12 to 24, across a variety of terrains, facing all kinds of weather, totalling to approximately 260 trail miles. My focus will now briefly switch from mile progression, hill ascents and sore feet to sleep, showers, carbohydrates, lounging and minimal movement.