One of the most important things to look after on your hike are your feet. Over the years I’ve found hiking boots to be too clunky and heavy when hiking. I now opt for trail running shoes and my feet have never been more comfortable. My Altra Lonepeak trail running shoes. For more than half of today, you walk along the Tyne River, so it’s really easy to navigate. The stretch that takes you through central Newcastle is lovely. Stop for a coffee and soak up the atmosphere—it’ll be a long time before you’re in a city again. Day 2: Heddon-on-the-Wall to Chollerford: 15 Miles (24km) Like food, some legs on the trail might offer you tons of places to fill up your water bottles and some won’t have any. So, have enough water bottles and bladders to fill up your entire day’s supply of water before you leave your accommodation. Most people complete the route in around four days. At that pace, you’re walking around 21 miles (34km) per day. When I was first planning this trip I thought I wanted to wild camp along the whole trail. This technically isn’t allowed in most National Parks and should only be done if you’re discrete, arrive late and leave early, and you’re in an area of reasonable wilderness.

Along the walk, you’ll see lots of well-preserved milecastles. Every Roman mile (that’s a little shorter than a modern mile, how confusing), Romans built these structures as watchtowers and fortifications along their frontiers. In 1936, further research suggested that the Vallum could not have been built before the wall because the Vallum avoided one of the wall's milecastles. [24] This new discovery was continually supported by more evidence, strengthening the idea that there was a simultaneous construction of the Vallum and the wall. [24]This is a short day, and you’ll have to make up for this distance in future days so make sure you enjoy it! Spend some time in the Lanercost Priory and get some food or a hot drink either in the Walton Reading Room Cafe or the Lanercost Tea Room. Crossing fields around Walton. In the end, I’m pleased I only took my smartphone and you should do the same. I have a Google Pixel 5, so the quality of the photos is still pretty great. 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 earthwork is frequently visible on the south side.

If you’ve walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain or know anything about it, you will be aware that every pilgrim/walker carries a passport. Pilgrims get their passports stamped along the route and it provides evidence that they’ve completed the walk so that when they reach Santiago de Compostela, they can get a certificate. One of the best-preserved Roman forts in England, this place is right along the hike, so you can visit with absolutely no detour. The fort has heating, toilets, and drainage systems (so does the house I live in, who cares) along with lots of Roman artifacts. Sycamore Gap Higgins, Charlotte (2014). "Chapter Seven: Hadrian's Wall". Under Another Sky: Journeys in Roman Britain. London: Vintage. ISBN 978-0099552093. Other options include paid taxis from Carlisle or free shuttles which are available from some local establishments. [3]The main advantage to walking east is the wind direction. The winds in this part of England generally blow from west to east. So, if you’re walking Hadrian’s Wall Path in the shoulder season (April or October), you’re far more likely to get windy and rainy weather. You don’t want that blowing in your face and fighting against you. Speed, John – A set of Speed's maps were issued bound in a single volume in 1988 in association with the British Library and with an introduction by Nigel Nicolson as The Counties of Britain: A Tudor Atlas by John Speed. On your way from Once Brewed to Walton, you’ll see more crags and lakes, you’ll get more ascents and descents, and you enjoy loads more beautiful views. For the first half of the day, you continue walking along the same ridge you were wandering over yesterday. GENUKI: The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) – Northumberland". Genuki.bpears.org.uk. 3 August 2010. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013 . Retrieved 26 March 2013.

Hadrian’s Wall Path A-Z Atlas: If you just want a map without extra information and context, this is your best option. It’s very in-depth and detailed, and it’s easy to use and understand. The Jim Shepard short story collection Like You'd Understand Anyway (2007) includes a story titled "Hadrian's Wall" which is an imagined account of a clerk living and working during the wall's construction. [55]a b c d e f g h i Breeze, David J. (2003). "Auxiliaries, Legionaries, and the Operation of Hadrian's Wall". Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies. Supplement. 46 (81): 147–151. doi: 10.1111/j.2041-5370.2003.tb01980.x. England's Roman Frontier: Discovering Carlisle and Hadrian's Wall Country. Hadrian's Wall Heritage Ltd and Carlisle Tourism Partnership. 2010. Wall gains World Heritage status". BBC News. 8 July 2008. Archived from the original on 29 August 2023 . Retrieved 8 July 2008. Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Keelman’s Lodge is a microbrewery with clean, comfy accommodation only a couple of minutes’ walk from the riverside. Do I recommend booking accommodation way further in advance? Abso-effing-lutely.Book as far in advance as possible. Honestly, six to seven months is ideal to give yourself the most choice.