Travel through the centuries walking along Hadrian's Wall, the best-known frontier in the Roman Empire. Our holiday follows the most spectacular sections of the wall, combining a unique mix of heritage with wild and dramatic landscapes.

Detailed information

	Detailed itinerary
	Dates and prices
	Travel Information
	Average temperatures
	Why not try...

Detailed itinerary

44 miles. 7½ -10 miles per day with a maximum daily ascent of 1,500ft.

ITINERARY - 6 nights
Day 1: Arrival day

Day 2: Brampton to Gilsland
14½km (9 miles), 390m (1,300ft) of ascent
Our starting point is the historic market town of Brampton, once the headquarters of Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745. Leaving the town we follow a footpath through open fields, which leads us towards the evocative setting of Lannercost Priory, built in 1166 with red sandstone taken from Hadrian's Wall. Soon after leaving the priory we have our first meeting with the Wall from where we can look back over our route so far. We follow the course of Hadrian's Wall, passing various Turrets and Signal Towers before we reach 2000 year old Birdoswald Roman Fort, once home to over a 1000 soldiers. There is a visitor centre which provides a good introduction to the history of Hadrian's Wall. Descending to the River Irthing we have the opportunity to explore the Roman remains at Willowford, one of the most photographed sections of the Wall, before arriving in the historic village of Gilsland.

Day 3: Gilsland to Once Brewed
16km (10 miles), 400m (1,500ft) of ascent
From Gilsland our route becomes more dramatic, as a craggy landscape rises ahead. We briefly cross the intersection with the Pennine Way before we reach the impressive ruins of Thirlwall Castle. The castle was built in the 14th century by John Thirlwall to protect his family from the violent cross border raids between England and Scotland. On leaving the castle the walking becomes more rugged as we cross a splendid section of wild and invigorating countryside, crossing Cawfield Crags on which stands Milecastle 41, commanding superb views over a wide expanse of countryside. As well as a superb stretch of walking, this section of the Wall is particularly impressive - an unbeatable combination. Crossing Windshields Crags we reach the trig point at 345 metres, the highest point on the entire Wall.

Day 4: Once Brewed Circuit
12km (7½ miles), 295m (1,000ft) of ascent
Our circular walk today gives us the opportunity to visit Housesteads the most complete Roman fort in Britain, and Vindolanda, a Roman town with its own fort. Leaving Once Brewed we climb along Steel Rigg, a stunning section of the walk with many rises and falls. We have magnificent views over Crag Lough and as we look behind we can see the Wall snaking and swooping into the distance, following the high ground to take advantage of the natural defences of this dramatic landscape. A little further on we can see the famous sycamore tree used in the Kevin Costner film 'Robin Hood Prince of Theives'.

We have ample opportunity to explore the impressive site of Housesteads Roman Fort spanning five acres. At Vindolanda we can also explore the relaxing gardens and visit reconstructed houses of various Roman citizens.

Day 5: Housesteads to Chollerford
16km (10 miles), 155m (500ft) of ascent
Leaving Housesteads we follow an attractive stretch of footpath along the Wall where woods perch on the rocky slopes of Sewingshields Crag. We can admire the great views of the Wall zig zagging ahead of us, before we pass a white cairn and Sewingshields Turret. Here we descend to follow a long line of the roadside Wall passing the site of the fort Brocolitia and the remains of theTemple of Mithras en route. Entering the Northumberland National Park an excellent stretch of walking provides stunning views of open countryside. Towards the end of our day we reach Chester's Fort, which was originally the grounds of a country house, home to John Clayton the man responsible for the initiation and restoration of the wall around 1832. The museum here displays his finds at various sites along the Wall and is a memorial to his efforts.

Day 6: Chollerford to Corbridge, via Aydon Castle
15km (9½ miles), 180m (600ft) of ascent
At Chollerford we cross a fine looking bridge, built in 1775 following the great flood of 1771, which demolished its predecessor. The Roman ditch is unmistakable and very deep on this stretch and we are surrounded by calls of the skylark, lapwing and curlew. Passing though a thick forest we emerge to a different world of arable farmland and enjoy pleasant walking through fields. The Wall stretches in a straight-line head of us, aligned along the Dere Street Roman Road from Corbridge. At the Onnum Roman Fort we bid our final farewells to the Wall and walk south to the peaceful village of Halton and its ruined castle. From here we continue to Aydon Castle, one of the finest surviving examples of a medieval manor house in England, setting for the film 'Ivanhoe'. We have the opportunity to explore this delightful castle before following a bridleway to the finish of our Hadrian's Wall holiday in Corbridge.

Day 7: Depart after breakfast

Fitness
We want you to be confident that you can meet the demands of this walk and get the most out of your holiday. The walking day is normally 6-7 hours and it is important for your own enjoyment, and that of your fellow guests that you can maintain the pace.

Baggage Transport
Transport of your luggage will be arranged by us through local operators and is of course, included in your holiday price. It would be appreciated if you limited your luggage to one medium sized bag, rucksack or suitcase. Because the start and finish hotels are so close to the rail station a transfer is not included.

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Dates and prices

Single supplement: £15 per night

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Travel Information

Travel by rail: Travelling by train is a convenient method of travel. For further information and train times visit www.nationalrail.co.uk or call 08457 48 49 50 (from overseas call ++44 020 7278 5240).

Holiday Start: There are direct Inter-city trains from London to Newcastle and Carlisle rail stations taking around 3 and 4 hours respectively. From Manchester, Carlisle is a 2-hour train journey, usually with one change at Preston. There is an hourly rail service on the Tyne Valley line and Haltwhistle is 30 minutes from Carlisle and 1 hour from Newcastle. Our hotel is located in the village of Haltwhistle, only ½ mile from the railway station. The hotel can collect you on request from Haltwhistle station, but please ensure that you give the hotel a call the day before your arrival to arrange this service. Check in at the hotel is available from 15.00 hours.

Holiday Finish: The hotel is ½ mile from Haltwhistle station. The hotel manager or your HF Holiday's leader will be happy to arrange a taxi transfer where required.

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Average temperatures

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Why not try...

A self-guided walking holiday along Hadrian's Wall, click here for more information.

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