In June, LEAP’s CEO Heidi Walton and her son took on the challenge of walking Hadrian’s Wall as a fundraising challenge in support of LEAP.
Read Heidi’s write up of the trek below:
I’m always up for a challenge, and Hadrian’s Wall had been on my list for a while—so this felt like the perfect time to finally plan it.
What I hadn’t anticipated was just how complex the logistics would be. I now understand why so many people book through companies—accommodation along the route is limited, and there are very few shops or places to eat. Everything had to be organised in advance!
Once we arrived, the biggest challenge turned out to be navigation. Let’s just say I now realise I either need to improve my map-reading skills… or learn to focus a bit more!
But what made the journey truly special were two things: the people—so many lovely, inspiring walkers from around the world—and the scenery. We really do have some of the most breathtaking landscapes. At times, it felt like we were walking on top of the world. Absolutely stunning.
Of course, there was a tougher side too. Each day brought its own level of exhaustion. Whether we were soaked by rain or sweating under the blazing sun (and we had plenty of both), by the end of each leg we were dragging ourselves to the finish. Some mornings, I’d get out of bed and feel pain shoot up from my feet to my legs—it took sheer willpower to get going again.
But we did it—111 miles in total!