Thursday 18 September 2003
Newtown to Birdoswald
08:30
Get a lie-in again! Steve (Newcastle colleague) gives me a lift
to Brampton.
09:00
The broadcast team and the BBC Bus crew have already set up in the
town. We find them easily - the radio car is parked in front of
the Moot Hall with its giant mast up. No-one could miss us today.
Paul
Braithwaite looks very showbiz wandering about with his headphones
on, microphone in hand.
10:00
The programme today is very busy, with lots of guests and many people
turning up to visit us. I photograph everyone for the gallery
and have trouble keeping track of all their names.
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Alex
visited the BBC Bus with his dad.
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10:30
The BBC Bus is starting to get very busy. Scores of people are pouring
through the door. Elaine, Joan and Paul are kept extremely busy
showing people how to use digital cameras and the internet.
11:00
Geoff (the BBC Bus driver) receives some surprise visitors! His
mum and dad have stopped by - and better still, they've brought
us sausage rolls and cream cakes! They can come again. I leap into
action, distributing the snacks to the ever-hungry engineers and
Bus team.
11:30
Attempt to eat a cream bun in a lady-like fashion. Fail miserably
and get it all over me. Catch my boss, Paul, doing a similarly ungraceful
creamcake juggling stunt and whip
out my camera! Hee hee.
11:45
We meet David Nightingale, from the East Cumbria Countryside Project,
who will be walking with us today. Paul interviews him on air and
then talks to me about the website. There is much mickey-taking
again about my flip-flops. They're cabriolet walking machines, Paul,
get it right.
12:00
The programme finishes and we head to The Capon Tree café
for lunch. I order beans on toast - just what the doctor ordered!
Lovely. Steve mucks around confusing the waitress and generally
chasing chaos. Honestly, these Newcastle staff, can't take 'em anywhere.
13:00
Geoff drops us off in Newtown, yesterday's finishing point. My heart
sinks slightly as I clap eyes on the place, but this changes when
I remember that today I actually get to see the Wall!
We
set off for on our afternoon's trek, thanking our lucky stars that
the weather is fine again. The sky in the morning had looked a bit
threatening but now it's sunny and warm. Perfect.
The
first part of our walk takes us through someone's back garden!
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David
tests the water-proof-ness of his boots.
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13:30
At Cambeck, we cross the river on a new wooden bridge.
David
takes us to see the old weir where walkers used to cross before
National Trails constructed the bridge.
It looks rather slippy and steep. Paul suggests I try crossing it,
seeing as I have open-toed footwear on. Walking the rest of the
trip with cold and soggy feet doesn't appeal.
14:00
We enter a field which contains an old tree trunk on its side. I
can't resist climbing it and insist David takes our photo. Natalie
mutters something about 'health and safety' before scrambling up
beside me.
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Jim
Allen and friend being interviewed by Paul
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15:00
We encounter two walkers wearing distinctive blue Cancer Research
hats and T-shirts.
Jim
Allen tells us he is walking in memory of his wife, Sarah, who died
three months ago from ovarian cancer.
Paul
Braithwaite records a quick interview to play on tomorrow's programme.
Jim decided "not to sit around at home and do something useful
instead" so he is raising money for the charity. David gives
him a donation.
15:10
David starts building the tension - he promises me I will soon see
my first ever section of Hadrian's Wall. We turn the corner and...
yes, it's yet another grassy mound. Whoopeedoo. There is an English
Heritage sign next to it reading 'Dovecote Bridge'. David assures
me there is a wall under the grass. Ho hum.
15:30
However, just down the road from this mound, we encounter some proper
Hadrian's Wall! Finally! It's the remains of a tower. The wall here
is quite high, 16 feet or so with the square base of the tower clearly
visible. I feel like I've got my 'money's worth' now!
16:00
We trundle through several miles-worth of fields of sheep and cows.
Why do they look so surprised to see walkers? Today, we've encountered
many more than the last few days.
Hang
on, what's this up ahead? We've walked through the village of Banks
and I can now see a stopping place for cars with what looks like
a wall in it.
Yep,
it's a great long section of the Wall. It's easy to see why the
Wall functioned well here - you can see for miles across the countryside.
We see several military jets flies past. David herds us around the
East Cumbria Countryside Project's signboard to admire his organisation's
handiwork.
16:30
More trundling through fields. Natalie wonders whether the sheep
and cows aim to poop on the path.
We
can see our destination ahead. The Path takes us through these bumpy
fields but the road runs right next to it. Should have brought my
rollerskates.
17:10
Arrive at Birdoswald Roman Fort. it's nearly closing time but the
staff are very pleased to see us! We tell them we'll see them tomorrow
- we are broadcasting from here tomorrow morning.
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What's
this on the wall?
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17:20
David asks if we want to see the carved phallus (ahem!) in the Wall
near the fort. Well, it would be rude not to, wouldn't it? Natalie
and I give it a good rub for, umm, luck. And comedy value.
18:00
Arrive back at BBC Radio Cumbria to download my photos and write
the diary. I feel very good tonight - my ankles feel slightly dodgy
but that's it.
I'm
not looking forward to hobbling home but at least there's the prospect
of a hot bath and a glass of wine to look forward to. Possibly both
at the same time...
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