HWP Day 1 - Bowness on Solway to Carlisle

The start of Hadrian's Wall path although it was only me who began at the beginning, Steve having elected to be dropped off in Burgh by Sands so as to have a shorter walk.

I managed to get bitten by a horesfly fairly quickly, so immediately sprayed myself with some foul smelling 'natural' insect repellant bought in France, having found when packing that all my Smidge had evaporated!

Later on I was asked by an American couple to keep a lookout for her father. He'd been in front but was now somewhere behind... and he'd no phone, of any sort. I reached Beaumont, had a rest and some water under the tree in the triangle, and found him coming out of the churchyard. I would've phoned his daughter if he'd known the number, but sent him off in the right direction and hopefully he reached The Greyhound where they were staying.

I later caught up with a woman who told me there were a lot of boisterous cattle further on. She'd retreated and wasn't moving until they'd gone. ? I offered to take her with me, although I don't like cows either, but she refused. There were no cattle of any sort!

It was so, so hot for most of the day and I did wear a hat even though it makes your head sweaty! What I hadn't done though was put sunscreen on my arms, so the tops were a bit pink when I finished.

A long walk, I was really tired at the end of it. I got back to the room and Steve was trying to talk to me about wildflower identification.... which was impossible because I was exhausted, I just wanted to stretch and shower. He got the message understood in the end!

14.75 miles
532 ft elevation gain 

Extra: a group of Romans nearing the end of the east to west walk, they made me smile!