HADRIAN'S
WALL SPONSORED CHALLENGE - 'SEPTEMBER 2007'
|
| Hadrian’s
Wall was built between AD 122 and AD 30 and was commissioned by Emperor Hadrian
as the frontier of the Roman Empire in Britain. It was designated as a World Heritage
Site by UNESCO in 1987 and is now protected by English Heritage, who describe
the site as “the most important monument built by the Romans in Britain”.
Most
of the wall is accessible on foot and the Hadrian’s Wall Trail, which opened in
2003, now consists of 84 miles of unbroken path, which take in some of the most
breathtaking scenery in the UK and stretches from Bowness on The Salway Firth,
in the west and Wallsend, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in the east.
Along the
Trail, there are numerous sites of Special Interest, a National Park and the remains
of several forts. Housesteads is one the best preserved forts in the country,
covering an area of five acres.
Within its walls are a number of buildings
including the fort's headquarters and commander's house, granaries, barracks,
a hospital, and latrines. Another fort, Vindolanda, lies to the south of the Wall.
Here, excavations have unearthed a number of Roman documents and artefacts, including
Roman boots, shoes, armour, jewellery |
In
September 2007 a twenty five man team comprising of former and serving soldiers
of the Coldstream Guards walked the 84 miles (135 km) length of Hadrian's Wall.
Stretching from the Tyne in the East to the Salway Firth in the West.
Hadrian's Wall is one of the finest examples of Roman engineering still in existence
and testament to the skill and professionalism of the Roman Legionaries responsible
for its construction.
Supported by a logistics and support team, the journey
began on Newcastle's East Coast on the 20 September 2007 at the remains of Segedunam
Roman Fort which was once a busy trading port for Roman Naval ships bringing goods
from all corners of the Roman Empire.
The team was led by former Coldstream
Guards Sargeant Ted Williams, and accompanied by Roman Historian and guide Paul
Darnell. The team walked between 16 to 24 miles each day over a 5 day period and
arrived at the picturesque Salway Firth on Britain's West Coast on the 24th September
2007. | |
| The
team of 30 former and serving soldiers of the Coldstream Guards comprised of 22
walkers and a support / logistics team of 6drivers who were responsible for transporting
the the challenge team to and from its daily start and pick up points in support
of this tough event. There was also a medical and catering support to ensure the
team has correct back up for all eventualities. Each member of the team had the
added challenge of raising £800 towards our financial target. |
WALK
TEAM | DRIVERS
/ LOGISTICS TEAM |
| | 01:
Ted Williams IC Walk Team
02: Franco Gasparotti
03: C/Sgt Adam Brady
04: Capt Richard Patterson
05: Dex Halliwell
06: Jim Hill
07: Lyndsay
Browne | 08: Mick Buttery
09: Roy Mackey
10: Stuart Sutton
11: Mick Scanlan
12: Gaz Hawkins
13: John Routledge
14: Paul Darnell | | 01:
Terry N Jones IC Logistics
02: Ian Ball
03: Simon Ward
04: Ian Kirtin
05: Mercy Jeyasingham | |
| The
teams was based at the Gilsland Spa Hotel in a left of central location along
Hadrian’s Wall which acted as our headquarters for the duration of the event.
Situated 700 feet above sea level, the hotel commanded spectacular views over
the
Cumbrian countryside and magnificent Irthing Gorge where the River Irthing
separates the counties of Cumbria and Northumberland. |
The
team had a number of ways to relax, with visits to Roman sites, museums, local
lido and of course the many village pubs and restaurants situated locally.
We
also had the added bonus of good facilities at our team hotel with a number of
amenities at our disposal.
The most important a good sound bed after a long
day, then ready at dawn to face the trials of another day on the wall. | |
|
|
