Day Two and Three of Wilf's coast-to-coast trek

Day Two of Wilf's coast-to-coast trek, a 14.5 mile saunter eastward from Carlisle, along the picturesque and aptly named River Eden. His schoolmate Tom T in support - a tireless provider of good humour and general gibberish. Towards the close of the day - as we neared our campsite, in Banks, we came accross the first stumps of above ground Roman walling. Such evidence, a mars bar and promise of a pub supper put a spring in the step. The last mile was completed at a canter.

Day Three and poor Tom awoke to find his left leg in poor shape. Having packed up the tent he and Nichola headed off to see the sites whilst Wilf set out on day three's walk - without the banter and with just his father for company. Half of the day's 14.5 miles had been completed before the meet up at lunchtime - for some a healthy combination of sausage rolls and a fistfull of foot-long (jelly) snakes. Soon after lunch the landscape changed from kindly rolling meadows to proper inclines of a gradient sufficient to warrant the forming of steps. By now we were invariably accompanied on our left by the wall - usually at a height of about ten foot. The milecastles, turrets and forts at Birdoswald and Great Chesters proved welcome places at which to catch one's breath - Wilf was getting redder and redder in the cheeks. He walked the final up-down-up-down-up-down push to the appropriately named Steel Rig with a steely look of determination on his face. Job done - he's officially half way to Newcastle and the east coast.