Adventourus Active Vacations

7 day Independent tour

This particular hiking vacation in England is a 6 night / 7 day self guided walking tour along the Hadrian’s Wall National trail. We follow most of the trail with interesting Roman remains between Wallsend a suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne, and Carlisle in the west. This walking tour we have graded a level 2-3 walking tour , it is not particularly hard in terms of altitude gains but some sections are long in terms of distance. Most of these days can be covered in 5-6 hours walking and there is also a public bus which runs almost parallel to the route which can help shorten most days if distance becomes too great. The walk is very varied in terms of scenery from farmland to open moorland.

Individual arrival in Wallsend and check in your first hotel.

After seeing the Roman Fort of Segedunum, you don't see any more Roman remains until the section of wall at Heddon on the Wall. Instead the first day's walking is spent alongside the River Tyne. You will pass right along the Newcastle Quayside underneath numerous bridges including the "blinking eye" millenium bridge. If time allows you can cross the bridge and visit the new Baltic Arts Centre on the Gateshead side of the river. It is then time to continue west out of the city to Heddon on the Wall.

Day 3: Heddon-on-the-Wall - Chollerford (24 km)

Today you will be following the course of Hadrian's Wall and starting to become familiar with the pattern of turrets and milecastles. Beyond Harlow Hill a real sense of spaciousness begins. The Roman ditch, or Vallum as it is called, is more in evidence than the wall itself. However, as you approach Chollerford sections of the wall itself start to appear. The Roman crossing of the River North Tyne was a short distance south-west of the current crossing, itself a handsome five-arched bridge built in 1775.

Perhaps the most thrilling day of the entire walk, this stage is to be savoured. Encompassing the best preserved fort on the Wall, the finest views, the most complete sections of the Wall, the northernmost point of the trail and some great if slightly exhausting walking, this is a day for superlatives. So bring plenty of food and water with you, bucketloads of stamina and prepare to enjoy yourself.

While this stage is not as spectacular as the previous one, it is perhaps the most interesting. Today we will climb to the highest point of the entire trail, we will cross from Northumberland into Cumbria and it will take place in a change of scenery, from the windswept moors and crags that provided yesterday’s backdrop to the more gentle, rolling, cultivated landscape of England’s far north-west. We also cross the watershed on this day, so that by the end of it any river we encounter from now on flows west towards the Irish Sea. Not to be missed are the remains of a roman bridge - who would have carried both the Wall and the Military Way - near Gilsland, at the River Irthing. There are also numerous remains of turrets, forts and mile-castles along the trail to be seen. Quite a stage indeed!

Pleasant walking through colourful fields in which to enjoy marvellous scenery. Just after Gilsland the fort of Birdoswald is reached, the route then continues high above the steep sided Irthington Gorge, before beginning a gradual descent at the village of Banks. Rich agricultural landscape and parkland replaces the moorland as the route drops steadily through the villages of Walton and Irthington before reaching lovely River Eden for the final section into the historic border city of Carlisle. Carlisle’s history is very much evident with its cathedral, castle and old city walls. If you feel 18 miles is too long you can exit the trail just before Walton and take the Hadrian’s Wall bus to Carlisle. This could allow you more time to enjoy looking around the town.

Today after breakfast you can take a train north to Scotland , south towards Manchester or east back to Newcastle where you began.

PRICE & DETAILS

Price & Schedule

DEPARTURE DATES:

Daily from May to September

- 6 nights with breakfast in typical English guesthouses of high 3 & 4 star standard, all with private shower or bath and toilet

- Well marked route

- Detailed route-book with photos, maps, points of interest, important phone numbers

- Luggage transfer from guesthouse to guesthouse

- Emergency service hotline

MODERATE: Some gentle hills and full day hikes but nothing too difficult.You walk on public footpaths, crossing farm land and villages. Suitable for anyone with just a reasonable level of fitness.