Hadrian’s Wall Path (7 days, 6 nights)
Price (from)
Difficulty
Tour information
The spectacular World Heritage Site of Hadrian’s Wall allows you to discover 84 miles of coast to coast walking paths past Roman settlements and forts as well as many pubs and market towns along the way.
Included/Excluded
- Accommodation at the stated category with breakfast
- Luggage Transfers
- Full Tour Pack with colour coded routes on local maps
- Smartphone App with GPS routes
- 24-hr emergency helpline
- Lunch, Dinner & Drinks
- Entrance to attractions
- Buses, Taxis and/or Ferries unless otherwise stated
- Tourist Taxes where applicable
Itinerary
- By Rail: Situated on the East Coast main line, Newcastle upon Tyne railway station is one of the busiest in Britain. London (Kings Cross) can be reached in 3 hours, and is easily accessible for other parts of the country too.
- By Car: Newcastle upon Tyne is reached via the A1 and will take just over 5 hours from London.
Stay overnight
The day starts with a taxi transfer to Heddon-on-the-Wall
From Heddon-on-the-Wall, continue along the roadside path. Near to the end of the walk, you pass Heavenfields where Oswald King of Northumberland defeated the Welsh hordes in 633 AD. Continue into Chollerford with its handsome five-arched stone bridge from 1775. Or take footpaths down to the River Tyne to examine the foundation stones of the original Roman bridge which are well preserved.
Stay overnight in Chollerford. Luggage will be transferred.
The Wall landscape begins to change now. Higher, wilder, unimproved pasture, expansive views, the Roman Vallum and north ditch is unmissable. From Wall-mile 35 the classic picture postcard “switchback” comes into view; take your time, it’s tougher than you might think. On a fine day there is little protection from the sun but enjoy the breeze against your face, if you are lucky you might catch the fragrance of wild thyme. Pause to reflect on the sheer achievement of the Roman engineers and builders, but also our Victorian forebears, so instrumental in establishing our interest in conservation. Not much has changed since the Victorian times.
Stay overnight in Steel Rigg. Luggage will be transferred.
The Wall climbs to its highest point over Winshields Crags, before descending to the delightfully named Bogle Hole. Downsteps through Thorny Doors and up Cawfields Crags with excellent views onto the Pennines. The way passes by Great Chesters and Magnis (Roman forts), passing Greenhead, the ruin of Thirlwall Castle and in another mile or so crosses the Cumbria / Northumberland border on the River Irthing at Gilsand. View the Roman site called Birdoswald, where you can see the longest continuous remaining stretch of Hadrian's Wall
Stay overnight in Walton. Luggage will be transferred.
By now the lack of masonry won’t concern you. Spotting the humps and bumps in the ground; Vallum here, Wall ditch there, the buried Wall even, will be second nature. It’s all World Heritage Site, however, and just as important as the classic calendar shots of the Whin Sill. Being nearer to sea-level the gradients are gentle, the climate is also kinder and the occasional woodland a welcome diversion from the more open aspect of Northumberland. It all seems to go hand-in-hand with preparing you for the Solway estuary beyond Carlisle, because that is a section not to hurry.
Stay overnight in Carlisle. Luggage will be transferred.
With barely a gradient worth mentioning the walking should be comfortable today, but don’t hurry, enjoy the expansive vistas into Scotland as they come into view. Save for the welcome sounds of birdlife, the River Eden and Solway estuary marshes offer peace and solitude and a time to reflect on your journey as you near your destination, Bowness-on-Solway (or Trail’s-end as some have dubbed it). Segedunum to Maia, fort to fort, a Roman odyssey, but we hope that the landscape will have revealed to you some of its many other stories.
Stay overnight in Bowness-on-Solway. Luggage will be transferred.
Depart Bowness-on-Solway after breakfast
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to walk/cycle every day of my trip?
Absolutely not! You can enjoy additional stop overs at various points along the tour if you would like more time to explore the local area.
We can also add additional days to the start and end of your trip to allow you to explore and relax.
If you would like to add rest days or additional nights to your trip please contact us at info@compass-holidays.com to discuss your specific requirements. We’re happy to tailor your trip to suit you!
How do I get to the start of my tour?
Most UK travel destinations are accessible by public transport.
However, some of the locations are quite rural and may require a car or taxi to reach the starting point.
Our tours do not include travel to the starting point as standard but if you would like specific travel to be include in your trip please let our team know.
Not quite sure where to start? Contact us at info@compass-holidays.com to discuss your travel plans.
How does the luggage transfer service work?
We offer a luggage transfer service across most of our tours so you don’t have to worry about your luggage during your vacation. We pick up your luggage on the morning you are moving accommodation and take it direct to your next stop.
How far can I walk or cycle each day?
How far you choose to travel each day depends on your individual fitness levels and how long you want to spend walking or cycling.
We have a wide range of tours to suit all fitness levels.
All our itineraries specify the daily mileage and the difficulty level of the tour.
If you would like to make adjustments to a tour to suit your specific needs, please contact us at info@compass-holidays.com to discuss a bespoke tour. We are good at this!
How fit do I have to be?
Our tours all vary in degrees of hardness.
We specify the difficulty level of all of our tours on our website. The itineraries also give an indication of the gradients travelled on any given day.
If you would like to discuss this in more detail with our travel experts please contact us prior to booking.
What about places to eat?
All our tours come with bed and breakfast as standard.
In some more remote locations, accommodation providing breakfast may not be possible but we will find you somewhere to get breakfast nearby. This will be covered in the price of your trip.
Our tours do not include lunch and dinner as standard, though some accommodations do offer packed lunches and dinner options at an additional charge. Please let us know if you would like this option when booking.
What ages do you cater for?
Both our walking and cycling tours can cater for travellers of all ages. Distance is listed on each of the tours. If you are unsure about the distance covered, please call us on +44(0) 1242 250 642.
All of our routes have been tried and tested by our expert team with lots of stop-offs and attractions so younger members of the team can rest and enjoy all that’s on offer. Please call us on +44(0) 1242 250 642 at the time of booking to discuss your exact requirements.
Cycling equipment
We have a large range of bikes and accessories suited to adults and budding cyclists. We also offer a tag along (tandem) (please note it is not fully enclosed and waterproof but a single wheeled bike that attaches to the adult bike). We can also provide fully enclosed and waterproof trailers for younger children.
What day can I start my tour?
Most of our tours can be taken at any time but there are some which start on specific days which are usually Saturday to Saturday.
To find out more information, please call our expert travel team on +44 (0) 1242 250 642 or email info@compass-holidays.com.
What type of accommodation is included?
Our holidays are priced with 3* hotel, B&B as standard. These accommodations are hand picked for our tours.
Where a bespoke or luxury option is required please contact us on +44 (0) 1242 250642.
Can I bring my dog with me?
Several of our tours do have the option to bring your four-legged friend with you, depending on availability.
Please contact our expert travel team on +44(0) 1242 250 642 to find out which tours your dog will love too!
