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I once decided it would be a cool idea to walk in straight line across England and began wondering how I would plan it. For some reason I noticed and realised

I once decided it would be a cool idea to walk in straight line across England and began wondering how I would plan it. For some reason I noticed and realised my half way mark was a few meters away from this tree. As in if you look at a map the tree sits in the center of England where its diameter is at its narrowest - check it out. An odd thing. Looking at the topography from google maps and I remember thinking what an oddly beautiful tree in the middle of nowhere. I even noticed it had a Wikipedia entry. It was a few years ago and I never got round to trying to walk it. Now a couple years later I hear it’s been destroyed and I grow more concerned for the future of man.

extraduder_ire 3y ago
> sits in the center of England where its diameter is at its narrowest Seems like a good place to put a wall to split the land in two then. I wasn't aware until just now that the modern border of scotland is a good bit north of where Hadrian's wall is.
- Nursie 3y ago
  But South of the Antonine Wall. Hadrian's gets all the recognition, and that's probably mostly because it is still recognisable, but the Romans built a second wall 20 years later, just to the north of where Glasgow and Edinburgh are now - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonine_Wall https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonine_Wall It was built mostly of turf and wood, so time has erased it much more completely, and apparently they retreated back to Hadrian's wall after only a few years.
  - GauntletWizard 3y ago
    That might be another reason that Hadrian's Wall is more remembered - It's one they held for a reasonably long time (generations) whereas Antonine's was far more ephemeral in that way too. The Berlin Wall is almost gone, but I don't think anyone will forget it in a hurry.
  - ionwake 3y ago
    Very interesting thank you
schoen 3y ago
If you're still interested in this, Tom Davies (Geowizard) has done the straight-line crossing in a couple of different countries and posted videos, both of some of the planning and logistics and of actually doing it. Two of the most relevant are walking all across Wales in a straight line (which did involve trespass on some farms) and dribbling a soccer ball the entire length of the Hadrian's Wall path. He calls these "straight line missions". Maybe it will inspire you to try some form of this sport, or maybe you'll just enjoy Tom's experiences.
- ionwake 3y ago
  Yep he inspired me I actually did a failed attempt at crossing Liechtenstein it was so poorly executed I made the video private
  - eigart 3y ago
    Fwiw, I think even just starting an attempt is impressive. And especially if you’re not local!
    - ionwake 3y ago
      I really appreciate your comment. It was during a particularly hard time in my life so I saw my cousin and then just thought right I’ve got a few days left and the only thing I had in my head was well I don’t know much but I do know I will feel accomplishment if I cross Liechtenstein in a straight line. I found perhaps the only way to do it. Funnily enough I realised I had screwed up when found out first hand what exactly the Alps were and that they were not intact “thumb sized” as they appeared on google maps. As I stood at the bus stop with a mountain towering above me well I gave it my best shot but sheer cliffs behind bushes put an early end to my “straight” yet vertical line. It was a good laugh tho the locals took me out for drinks.
pjc50 3y ago
"Wainwright's Coast to Coast": https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/aug/12/alfred-wainwrights-coast-to-coast-walk-made-national-trail https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/aug/12/alfred-... Not quite a straight line nor the shortest, but a well known route. Someone posted about it on HN within the last couple of weeks.
- ionwake 3y ago
  Amazing thanks

extraduder_ire 3y ago

> sits in the center of England where its diameter is at its narrowest Seems like a good place to put a wall to split the land in two then. I wasn't aware until just now that the modern border of scotland is a good bit north of where Hadrian's wall is.

Nursie 3y ago
But South of the Antonine Wall. Hadrian's gets all the recognition, and that's probably mostly because it is still recognisable, but the Romans built a second wall 20 years later, just to the north of where Glasgow and Edinburgh are now - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonine_Wall https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonine_Wall It was built mostly of turf and wood, so time has erased it much more completely, and apparently they retreated back to Hadrian's wall after only a few years.
- GauntletWizard 3y ago
  That might be another reason that Hadrian's Wall is more remembered - It's one they held for a reasonably long time (generations) whereas Antonine's was far more ephemeral in that way too. The Berlin Wall is almost gone, but I don't think anyone will forget it in a hurry.
- ionwake 3y ago
  Very interesting thank you

schoen 3y ago

If you're still interested in this, Tom Davies (Geowizard) has done the straight-line crossing in a couple of different countries and posted videos, both of some of the planning and logistics and of actually doing it. Two of the most relevant are walking all across Wales in a straight line (which did involve trespass on some farms) and dribbling a soccer ball the entire length of the Hadrian's Wall path. He calls these "straight line missions". Maybe it will inspire you to try some form of this sport, or maybe you'll just enjoy Tom's experiences.

ionwake 3y ago
Yep he inspired me I actually did a failed attempt at crossing Liechtenstein it was so poorly executed I made the video private
- eigart 3y ago
  Fwiw, I think even just starting an attempt is impressive. And especially if you’re not local!
  - ionwake 3y ago
    I really appreciate your comment. It was during a particularly hard time in my life so I saw my cousin and then just thought right I’ve got a few days left and the only thing I had in my head was well I don’t know much but I do know I will feel accomplishment if I cross Liechtenstein in a straight line. I found perhaps the only way to do it. Funnily enough I realised I had screwed up when found out first hand what exactly the Alps were and that they were not intact “thumb sized” as they appeared on google maps. As I stood at the bus stop with a mountain towering above me well I gave it my best shot but sheer cliffs behind bushes put an early end to my “straight” yet vertical line. It was a good laugh tho the locals took me out for drinks.

pjc50 3y ago

"Wainwright's Coast to Coast": https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/aug/12/alfred-wainwrights-coast-to-coast-walk-made-national-trail https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/aug/12/alfred-... Not quite a straight line nor the shortest, but a well known route. Someone posted about it on HN within the last couple of weeks.

ionwake 3y ago
Amazing thanks