Hadrian’s Wall: Wallsend to Bowness on Solway. 2012
Length: 84 miles / 135 km. Walked: June. Weather: mixed. No camping. Pack weight: 13lb / 5.8kg.
This was my first thru-hiked long distance trail so I made some errors with my kit which I have included in the hope that they may be helpful. As I wasn’t backpacking, this is a different kind of kit list from my Pennine Way list the following year. Apart from a hostel and two bunkhouses, my accommodation was high season, single occupancy, last minute bed and breakfast so it was an expensive trip, which is why I moved towards cheaper and free accommodation on later hikes.
General:
- Berghaus 35L daysack (Should have taken a cover or liner)
- Waterproof trousers
- Sit mat
- First aid kit (Off the shelf – too much stuff)
- Multitool penknife (Over engineered for my needs)
- Silva 4 compass
- Plastic whistle
- 500ml Plastic water bottle (Not nearly enough water!!)
- Sea to Summit Map case
- Guidebook (I read guidebooks in advance now to save weight)
- Harvey map (Given to me on the walk)
Tech:
- Phone charger
- Charger plug
Clothes carried:
- 2 pairs summer socks
- Cotton T shirt
- Cotton long sleeved base layer
(I would never wear any cotton clothing again having discovered how long it takes to dry)
Toiletries:
- Glasses & case
- Contacts & solution (too fiddly and bulky)
- Electric Toothbrush & case (I still take this although it is heavy, so no handle cutting has ever taken place)
- Toothpaste (too big)
- Insect repellent (too big)
- Suncream (too big)
- Wipes
(Normal size toiletries were much too bulky and heavy. I now use travel stuff or decant into 50/100ml plastic bottles).
Personal:
- Wallet
- Cash, essential cards & a few cheques
- Olympus Tough Camera (battery ran out and I had no spare)
- 2 phones
- Watch
- Stamps
- Essential keys
Clothes worn:
- Old waterproof jacket (Failed to check the proofing so it did’t keep me dry)
- Cotton long sleeved top
- Own brand leather walking boots (The most important bit of kit. Although they had done a few years day hiking, these boots were uncomfortable in constant use)
- Craghopper summer trousers
- Bridgedale summer socks
- Lightweight Buff
(I didn’t take any footwear for the evenings so had to buy some. I also failed to store my kit in a way that kept important things dry)
Bought on journey:
- Blister bandages (these do work although they gummed up my socks a bit)
- Flip flops (lightweight, compact, cheap and a good option with heel blisters)
- Spare camera battery/s
(All these things could easily have been bought in advance and would have saved a lot of time).
Total pack weight: Approx. 13lb / 5.8kg
There is some advice on ways to lighten your pack in my page about pack weight.
Rucksack Rosie 