Trip report: A week walking Hadrian’s Wall
A long-distance walk in the footsteps of the Roman army, coast to coast, across the north of England. Hadrian’s Wall is a brilliant challenge.
The trip from Newcastle to Carlisle takes around 90 minutes by train. Alternatively, you can walk it in around five to ten days. I did both at the end of summer with my son Dan.
We travelled by train from home in Newcastle then took a taxi to the start of Hadrian’s Wall at Bowness-on-Solway. It’s a National Trail route that marks out the northern frontier of the Roman empire.
The return 84-mile walk took us coast to coast, from one side of England to the other, over six days.
We raised money for Choose Love. It protects vulnerable people from danger and is actively supporting the refugee effort in Afghanistan.
Hadrian’s Wall was built by the Roman army on the orders of the Emperor Hadrian in AD122. It celebrates an incredible 1900-year anniversary next year.
The first day took us along the Solway Firth back to Carlisle with little sign of the wall beyond ditch mounds and stone salvaged for local farm buildings.
We stayed in bed and breakfasts and pubs on the along the route, booked via Maximum Adventure. We travelled light with day packs and had our luggage moved on each day by a courier. I would highly recommend this approach.
There’s a supportive community around the wall from honesty tuck shops to hotel and restaurant landlords, and from courier and taxi drivers to visitor attractions. Fellow cyclers, runners and walkers are also a friendly bunch.
Our second day took us to Banks, initially following the River Eden, and then along the route of the wall through the Eden Valley. The hills and Lakes of the central and southern area of Cumbria seemingly get all the attention however the north is equally beautiful.
A pre-booked taxi picked us up at the end of the day and took us the village of Branton for an overnight stay. There’s a lesson. If you’re planning to walk the wall or take on a similar challenge, book your accommodation as close as possible to the route. Our walk was nearer 100 miles with accommodation detours.
Back on the route the next day we headed from Cumbria towards Northumberland. We quickly reached Birdoswald Roman Fort and picked up unbroken sections of the wall.
Over the next two days we headed onto the well-known sections and much busier sections of the route. It’s wild, hilly country with views south across England, and north to the Scottish Border, as far as you could see.
Walking across the country gives an appreciation of the changing landscape. A geography lesson played out as we walked from estuary to river, and along valleys and up hills.
A long distance walk also gives time to think and talk and listen to podcasts and talking books.
Steel Rigg and the Twice Brewed pub at Once Brewed were a highlight. It’s the mid-point of the walk, near Vindolanda Fort and Museum, and an area of Northumberland renowned for its dark skies. The Sill is also worth a visit.
Archaeology kept on coming. The route for day four took in Sycamore Gap, Housesteads Roman Fort, Sewingshields Crags, and Brocolita Roman Temple before dropping down to the Chesters Roman Fort at Chollerford.
You have to pre-book and pay at the major archaeological sites, mainly managed by English Heritage, however there’s something special about exploring the lesser-known and often free sites such as Brocolita.
We walked around 15 miles most days with the occasional deviation to reach accommodation. The fifth day saw us notch up more than 20 miles.
Long distance walking alters your perception of distance and time. A mile becomes far shorter than you previously ever imagined. Five days into a walk 20 miles in day becomes a reasonable objective.
However, no amount of training prepares you for pulling your walking boots on every day, day after day, to walk this distance. Cold baths helped recovery. Compeed sorted out blisters.
The countryside of Northumberland gave way to urban Tyneside as we headed to Newburn on the banks of the River Tyne. Much of the walk followed the route of the B318. It was monotonous in contrast to the previous two days.
The final day from Newburn took us along the River Tyne into Newcastle. We arrived at the quayside and city centre almost a week after we left, before heading to Segedunum at Wallsend.
Thank you to everyone who sponsored us and donated to Choose Love. We raised more than £2,500.
Hadrian’s Wall is a journey through time and a walk-through the incredible countryside of the north of England. It’s also a brilliant challenge. We’d highly recommend it.
