Hadrian's Wall Path is a
long-distance footpath
A long-distance trail (or long-distance footpath, track, way, greenway (landscape), greenway) is a longer recreational trail mainly through rural areas used for hiking, backpacking (wilderness), backpacking, cycling, equestrianism or cross-co ...
in the north of
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
, which became the 15th
National Trail
National Trails are long distance footpaths and bridleways in England and Wales. They are administered by Natural England, an agency of the Government of the United Kingdom, UK government, and Natural Resources Wales, a Welsh Government, Welsh ...
in 2003. It runs for , from
Wallsend
Wallsend () is a town in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England, at the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall. It has a population of 43,842 and lies east of Newcastle upon Tyne.
History Roman Wallsend
In Roman times, this was the site of the fort of ...
on the east coast of England to
Bowness-on-Solway on the west coast.
For most of its length it is close to the remains of
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall (, also known as the ''Roman Wall'', Picts' Wall, or ''Vallum Aelium'' in Latin) is a former defensive fortification of the Roman province of Roman Britain, Britannia, begun in AD 122 in the reign of the Emperor Hadrian. Ru ...
, the defensive wall built by the
Romans on the northern border of their empire. This is now recognised as part of the "
Frontiers of the Roman Empire"
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
.
Path description
Though muddy in places, the walking is relatively easy, as the highest point on the path is only 345 m (1130 ft) high
and for much of its length the path is more or less flat. Most of the Wall runs through remote countryside but there are sections that pass through the cities and suburbs of
Newcastle
Newcastle usually refers to:
*Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom
*Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom
*Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area ...
and
Carlisle
Carlisle ( , ; from ) is a city in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England.
Carlisle's early history is marked by the establishment of a settlement called Luguvalium to serve forts along Hadrian's Wall in Roman Britain. Due to its pro ...
. The path is well signposted. For most of the walk there are many signs of human activity, and many other walkers in summer. Though there are villages and farms near to the path, there are not many places to buy food and drink, especially in the middle sections. The section between
Chollerford
Chollerford is a village in Northumberland, England, approximately four miles (seven km) north of Hexham (via the A6079 road) on the B6318, the Military Road, not far from Hadrian's Wall. There is a roundabout in the village where the B6318 a ...
and
Walton is the highest and wildest part of the path; it is also where the Wall is most visible, and includes several important Roman forts.
This itinerary breaks the 84-mile (135 km) walk into six reasonable stages, and is presented from east to west (against the prevailing wind).
Wallsend
Wallsend () is a town in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England, at the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall. It has a population of 43,842 and lies east of Newcastle upon Tyne.
History Roman Wallsend
In Roman times, this was the site of the fort of ...
to
Heddon-on-the-Wall
Heddon-on-the-Wall is a village and civil parish in Northumberland, England, located on Hadrian's Wall. Heddon-on-the-Wall is roughly west of the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, and just outside Throckley. In 2011 the parish had a population of ...
The path starts at the Roman fort and Museum of
Segedunum
Segedunum was a Roman fort at modern-day Wallsend, North Tyneside in North East England. The fort lay at the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall near the banks of the River Tyne. It was in use for approximately 300years from around 122AD to almost ...
which sets the historical context for the Wall. Segedunum is also the first / last of the National Trail'
Walkers' Passportstamping stations. Most of this section runs through urban areas, including through the centre of
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle ( , Received Pronunciation, RP: ), is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is England's northernmost metropolitan borough, located o ...
, and along the banks of the
Tyne. Only the last part, leading to Heddon-on-the-Wall, is in open countryside. There are occasional glimpses of the Wall.
Heddon-on-the-Wall
Heddon-on-the-Wall is a village and civil parish in Northumberland, England, located on Hadrian's Wall. Heddon-on-the-Wall is roughly west of the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, and just outside Throckley. In 2011 the parish had a population of ...
to
Chollerford
Chollerford is a village in Northumberland, England, approximately four miles (seven km) north of Hexham (via the A6079 road) on the B6318, the Military Road, not far from Hadrian's Wall. There is a roundabout in the village where the B6318 a ...
This section is almost entirely through open countryside, but along a road (the
B6318, known as the Military Road). The Wall is occasionally visible, and the adjoining
Vallum
Vallum is either the whole or a portion of the fortifications of a Roman camp. The vallum usually comprised an earthen or turf rampart ( Agger) with a wooden palisade on top, with a deep outer ditch (fossa). The name is derived from '' vallus'' (a ...
earthwork is frequently visible on the south side.
Chollerford
Chollerford is a village in Northumberland, England, approximately four miles (seven km) north of Hexham (via the A6079 road) on the B6318, the Military Road, not far from Hadrian's Wall. There is a roundabout in the village where the B6318 a ...
to Steel Rigg
Chesters Roman Fort
Cilurnum or Cilurvum was an ancient Roman fort on Hadrian's Wall at Chesters near the village of Walwick, Northumberland. It is also known as Walwick Chesters to distinguish it from Great Chesters fort and Halton Chesters.
Cilurnum is i ...
is close to the start of this section. The path starts to rise now and the countryside becomes moorland, rather than farmland. Much more of the Wall is visible and parts of it run along the edge of crags, giving superb views over the open countryside to the north. The path passes the Roman fort at
Vercovicium
Housesteads Roman Fort was an auxiliary fort on Hadrian's Wall, at Housesteads, Northumberland, England. It is dramatically positioned on the end of the -long crag of the Whin Sill over which the Wall runs, overlooking sparsely populated hi ...
(
Housesteads
Housesteads Roman Fort was an auxiliary fort on Hadrian's Wall, at Housesteads, Northumberland, England. It is dramatically positioned on the end of the -long crag of the Whin Sill over which the Wall runs, overlooking sparsely populated hil ...
), which has been extensively consolidated and contains much of interest. For very good conservation reasons, nowhere along the route does the Trail follow the crest of Hadrian's Wall but in the small wood on the
Whin Sill
The Whin Sill or Great Whin Sill is a tabular layer of the igneous rock dolerite in County Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria in the northeast of England. It lies partly in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and partly in N ...
escarpment at Housesteads there is a short section of Public Right of Way, approximately 150 metres, which is actually on the Wall. The Trail follows a parallel path in the wood but visitors are allowed, if they choose, to walk on the Wall. The
Pennine Way
The Pennine Way is a National Trail in England, with a small section in Scotland. The trail stretches for from Edale, in the northern Derbyshire Peak District, north through the Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland National Park and ends at Kir ...
National Trail branches off northwards a little to the west of Milecastle 37.
Steel Rigg to Walton
This is another section across open countryside with the Wall occasionally visible. The Roman fort at
Birdoswald has a museum. The
Pennine Way
The Pennine Way is a National Trail in England, with a small section in Scotland. The trail stretches for from Edale, in the northern Derbyshire Peak District, north through the Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland National Park and ends at Kir ...
long-distance path joins the Hadrian's Wall Path near the village of
Greenhead. As the path approaches Walton,
Lanercost Priory
Lanercost Priory was founded by Robert de Vaux, Sheriff of Cumberland, Robert de Vaux between 1165 and 1174, the most likely date being 1169, to house Augustinians, Augustinian Canon (priest), canons. The priory is situated in the village of Lan ...
is a short walk to the south. Much of the Priory was built with stones taken from the Wall.
Walton to
Carlisle
Carlisle ( , ; from ) is a city in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England.
Carlisle's early history is marked by the establishment of a settlement called Luguvalium to serve forts along Hadrian's Wall in Roman Britain. Due to its pro ...
In this section the path returns to farmland and crosses the
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway is the longest motorway in the United Kingdom. It is located entirely within England, running for just over from the Midlands to the border with Scotland. It begins at Junction 19 of the M1 motorway, M1 and the western end of t ...
. Part of the path is alongside the
River Eden, passing through a pleasant park and over a large footbridge.
Carlisle
Carlisle ( , ; from ) is a city in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England.
Carlisle's early history is marked by the establishment of a settlement called Luguvalium to serve forts along Hadrian's Wall in Roman Britain. Due to its pro ...
to
Bowness-on-Solway
The first part of this section is rather bare but the walking improves once the path gets beyond the outskirts of Carlisle. Most of the path runs alongside either the River Eden or the
Solway Firth
The Solway Firth is an inlet on the west coast of Great Britain, forming part of the border between England and Scotland. The firth (a Scottish term for an inlet of the sea) divides Cumbria (including the Solway Plain) from Dumfries and Gallow ...
. There is nothing of the Wall to be seen but the walking is open and pleasant. The path ends in the village of
Bowness-on-Solway, at the end of the wall.
Access
Both Newcastle and Carlisle are on the UK national railway network. The start of the walk at Wallsend can be easily reached by taking a local train from Newcastle to
Wallsend Metro Station
Wallsend is a Tyne and Wear Metro station, serving the town of Wallsend, North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It joined the network on 14 November 1982, following the opening of the fourth phase of the network, between Tynemouth and St ...
, which is the only station in the world with bilingual notices in English and Latin. From the station walk in the opposite direction to the shops along Station Road towards the tall observation tower of Segedunum Roman Fort and Museum. The
Tyne Valley railway line runs between Newcastle and Carlisle, with stops at Wylam, Prudhoe, Corbridge, Hexham, Haydon Bridge, Bardon Mill, Haltwhistle, Brampton (1 mile from the town of Brampton) and Wetheral. For most of its length, the line is not within easy walking distance of the Wall. Northumberland National Park operates paying car parks at Brocolitia, Housesteads, Steel Rigg, the Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre, Cawfields quarry and Walltown quarry. Bowness-on-Solway does not have a car park and anyone thinking of leaving their car in Wallsend while they walk the Trail are advised to consider leaving their car in the long-stay car park at Newcastle airport.
There is
Hadrian's Wall bus (service AD122) (note 'Roman' numbering) which runs close to the central section of the Wall during the summer. The bus runs between Hexham, Chesters, Housesteads, Once Brewed, Vindolanda, Walton and Haltwhistle approximately once an hour 0900 1700. The service runs daily from Easter until September.
Bowness-on-Solway transport options
* There is no off-street parking in Bowness-on-Solway, and the streets are very narrow.
* There is one public transport option, th
93 Stagecoach Bus from Carlislewhich stops in Bowness 2–3 times a weekday
* Other options include paid taxis from Carlisle or free shuttles which are available from some local establishments.
See also
*
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall (, also known as the ''Roman Wall'', Picts' Wall, or ''Vallum Aelium'' in Latin) is a former defensive fortification of the Roman province of Roman Britain, Britannia, begun in AD 122 in the reign of the Emperor Hadrian. Ru ...
*
Coast to Coast Walk
The Coast to Coast Walk is a long-distance footpath between the west and east coasts of Northern England, nominally long. Devised by Alfred Wainwright, it passes through three contrasting national parks: the Lake District National Park, ...
– a similar alternative, somewhat to the south, from
St Bees
St Bees is a coastal village, civil parish and electoral ward in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England, on the Irish Sea.
Within the parish is St Bees Head which is the only Heritage Coast between Wales and Scotland and a Site of Spec ...
to
Robin Hood's Bay
Robin Hood's Bay is a village in North Yorkshire, England. It is south of Whitby and north of Scarborough on the Yorkshire Coast.
It is an ancient chapelry of Fylingdales in the wapentake of Whitby Strand. It is on the Cleveland Way nati ...
*
Hadrian's Cycleway – a cycle route from
Ravenglass
Ravenglass is an English coastal village in west Cumbria that lies between Barrow-in-Furness and Whitehaven, on the estuary of three rivers: the Esk, Mite and Irt. It is the only coastal village in the Lake District National Park. Formerly in ...
to
South Shields
South Shields () is a coastal town in South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England; it is on the south bank of the mouth of the River Tyne. The town was once known in Roman Britain, Roman times as ''Arbeia'' and as ''Caer Urfa'' by the Early Middle Ag ...
, part of the
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network (NCN) was established to encourage cycling and walking throughout the United Kingdom, as well as for the purposes of bicycle touring. It was created by the charity Sustrans who were aided by a £42.5 million N ...
*
Antonine Wall
The Antonine Wall () was a turf fortification on stone foundations, built by the Romans across what is now the Central Belt of Scotland, between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth. Built some twenty years after Hadrian's Wall to the south ...
*
National Trails
National Trails are long distance footpaths and bridleways in England and Wales. They are administered by Natural England, an agency of the UK government, and Natural Resources Wales, a Welsh government-sponsored body.
National Trails are ma ...
*
Long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom
There are hundreds of long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom designated in publications from public authorities, guidebooks and OS maps. They are mainly used for hiking and walking, but some may also be used, in whole or in part, for mou ...
References
* ''Hadrian's Wall Path'' by Anthony Burton. Published by
Aurum Press
The Quarto Group is a global illustrated book publishing group founded in 1976. It is domiciled in the United States and listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Quarto creates and sells illustrated books for adults and children, across 50 countri ...
in 2003. .
Further reading
* ''Walk Hadrian's Wall: The 84 Mile Route from Bowness-on-Solway to Wallsend'' (2007) by Brian Smailes. Challenge Publications
External links
*
Aerial photographs of Hadrian's Wall*
{{Coord, 55.03137, N, 2.12791, W, source:placeopedia_region:GB_type:landmark, display=title
Hadrian's Wall
Long-distance footpaths in England
Footpaths in Tyne and Wear
Footpaths in Northumberland
Footpaths in Cumbria