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At Spotty Otter, we believe that every step outside is a story waiting to be told, full of discovery, laughter, challenges, and unforgettable memories. We’re so excited to share this wonderful guest blog from one of our fabulous Spotty Otter Mums and her adventurous daughter, as they take on the historic Hadrian’s Wall National Trail in Northumberland. 

Here’s their incredible story, told in their own words:

We love hiking, or as we call it, sauntering. It’s an amazing and easy way to discover parts of the UK. There’s also something so grounding about the simple daily rhythm on the trail, get up, get ready, pack up and walk, enjoy, talk, sing, and be silly until you reach the campsite. Then set up your tent, eat, sleep… and repeat.

What a brilliant way to combine our love of hiking with learning about the Roman Empire in the UK. Hadrian’s Wall National Trail was a request from my (not so) little walker. She’d loved learning about Hadrian’s Wall and the expanse of the Empire in school and wanted to see it in real life.

After the humble pie served by the Pennine Way last year, we didn’t commit to walking the Wall until a week before, once the weather forecast looked amazing.

That last-minute decision meant final preparations were a bit hectic and not as organised as usual. But we knew exactly what gear and clothing we were taking — Spotty Otter from top to bottom!

Our Trail Kit

For daytime:
We packed the Spotty Otter Merino base layer. Its darker colour helped hide the dirt, and the merino wool kept my little hiker warm when it was chilly and cool when it got warm.

For night:
A cotton base layer doubled as pyjamas, light, soft, and perfect for sleep. The first two nights were very cold, with frost on the tent, so she layered up with her trusty Spotty Otter fleece in her current favourite colour, green.

For chilly evenings and mornings:
The Adventure Unlined Waterproof Jacket and trousers were our go-to. Lightweight and super comfortable to walk in.

The Journey

Day 1
We mostly walked through Newcastle, along the River Tyne.

Day 2
We admired the visible outline of the vallum and ditches, still etched into the landscape. We followed the Military Road most of the day. That evening, just before reaching the campsite, we came across a small remaining piece of Hadrian’s Wall. It instantly made all the hiking worth it, tiredness vanished. Temperatures dropped quickly, so we swiftly pitched the tent on the village green (pre-arranged with the local authority), had a speedy dinner, and climbed into our sleeping bags. Aniela fell asleep instantly, exhausted from all she’d learned. I was already planning tomorrow... 

Day 3
We woke to a sheet of ice on the tent, which soon melted and soaked everything. We packed inside the toilet block, the only dry space and I tried to fire up the stove. No luck. I warmed the lighter in my hands, tried again, and the flint flew off! No more hot breakfast. So… snacks it was!
Thankfully, we later stumbled on a coffee van where I got caffeine and Aniela got her hot breakfast.

Next up was Vindolanda Museum, a highlight on our list since Aniela had studied it at school. We caught the AD122 bus to get there. It was fantastic, though we didn’t have long to explore with many more miles ahead. The views were incredible. The weather let us enjoy the wide landscape, and we wondered if Roman soldiers had seen the same. Up and down we went, relentless climbs and descents, until we waved goodbye to the Pennine Way and left Northumberland National Park. That night we camped on a farm, fell asleep to curlew calls, and recharged for another day.

Day 4
It began misty with heavy dew. A kind stranger donated a lighter, so we finally had a warm breakfast! We packed up and set off, leaving the visible Wall behind, though you could still spot the Mile Castles and contours in the land.
We were lucky enough to witness a calf being born in a field, something Aniela had never seen. She was thrilled. Later, we arrived in Carlisle and stayed in a hotel to dry out the tent.

Day 5 – The Final Stretch
We tackled the last 25km, leaving Carlisle for the end of Hadrian’s Wall National Trail. There was a buzz of excitement to finish, mixed with the sadness that our mum-and-daughter adventure was coming to an end.

We walked, talked, and reflected on the past few days. Before we knew it, we reached the end, and were already dreaming about the next adventure!