Followers of my social media accounts know that I went on an adventure of a lifetime this summer! I spent 7 days hiking solo on the Hadrian's Wall Path trail in Northern England.
It has always been a bucket list item of mine to complete an extended solo hike. I have thought about doing this for many years, but I guess fear kept me from making any concrete plans. I had the opportunity to travel somewhere this year and after a lot of research I decided on hiking the 84 mile Hadrian's Wall Path.
I enjoyed planning my hike in the months before the trip. Deciding on my route and where I was going to stay and make those arrangements was fun. The closer I got to my trip though I became apprehensive. Was this a really good idea to do? Maybe I should wait and do it when "fill in the blank". I have in the past sat with my dreams and put things off that I wanted to do waiting for a "better time" which I would not be able to define. I realized quickly that it was fear keeping me from going. With an anxious heart and a faith in my ability to complete the hike I flew to England.
I had the time of my life! My days were spent hiking across the English countryside. There would be hours where I wouldn't see another human being. Lost in my thoughts gave me a time to reflect on events of the last couple of years. The nights were spent at hostels and B&Bs located in small villages on the route. I met so many kind people and the I found everyone that I came across friendly and helpful. At night, I would find a nice place to eat and try a local beer in the process.
One of the highlights of my hike was when I reached Sycamore Gap. It's a well known spot on the Hadrian's Wall path. It is a 300 year old tree that has withstood nature's elements standing stoically next to the wall. It was made famous by the 1991 film "Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves". What a wonderful day and memory I had!
Fast forward and not even 3 months later, some upsetting news came from the very path that I walked on. The Sycamore Gap tree was vandalized during the night and cut down. A symbol of strength and a part of the Northumberland landscape and culture, the felling of the tree made many sad.
I realize that if I would have put off my trip for whatever reason I came up with that I would have missed seeing this resilient and beautiful sight that has been loved by thousands over the years. It really confirmed my decision that I made to go on my trip. I know that these kind of trips might not be feasible at times, but it really hit home that I shouldn't put things off that I believe in doing.
I am now spending time art journaling my trip across Hadrian's Wall. So many sights, sounds, smells and experiences I want to record and never forgot.
So happy that I made the decision to go.
Thanks for reading!
