Hadrian's Wall Path - 8 Days & 7 Nights

8 Days & 7 Nights 4.6 Read 556 reviews

Hadrian's Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Walk alongside northern Europe's largest surviving Roman monument.
Wild and beautiful landscapes of the border country.
Enjoy warm welcomes at your cosy accommodations each night.
View forts, turrets and milecastles en route.

Immerse yourself in history with a walking holiday on Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail. This is a fascinating and rewarding walk from coast to coast alongside one of Britain’s Iconic landmarks. Hadrian’s Wall is Europe’s largest surviving Roman monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Opened in 2003 the Hadrian’s Wall Path follows the course of the Roman barrier closely along it’s entire length and is one of Britain’s most popular long distance walks. The Hadrian’s Wall Path starts in the vibrant city of Newcastle and takes you through the landscapes of Northumberland and then on to Cumbria, finishing at the mouth of the River Solway amidst the outstanding natural beauty of the Solway Firth. You will be constantly amazed by the ingenuity and determination of the Romans in their quest to control this far flung corner of their vast empire. The wall is punctuated by regular forts, milecastles and turrets as well as museums and visitor centres to assist you in your journey of discovery. Not forgetting of course that you will be walking through some of the wildest and most beautiful scenery that England has to offer. Macs Adventure offers 9 self guided walking itineraries on Hadrian’s Wall Path ranging from 3 to 9 days of walking. You can choose to walk the entire walk from coast to coast or just focus on the most scenic central section of Hadrian’s Wall.

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What To Expect

Travel restrictions and resources, to and from any destination

If you want to take on the challenge of a long-distance trail, with fantastically scenic walks, steeped in history, and then arrive in your comfortable and welcoming B&B’s every afternoon, feeling a sense of achievement each day, then this tour is for you. This is our most popular itinerary on Hadrian's Wall - plenty of time to see the sights but not too relaxed!

Tour Type:

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveler this tour would be suitable for is: 12 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Long-Distance Trails

Activity Level & Terrain

This tour is graded anywhere between easy to moderate and strenuous, depending on which itinerary you choose. It is most suited for those walkers with previous long distance experience. The route is a mixture of paths, tracks and minor roads. Some of the paths can become very muddy and boggy and negotiating this terrain can be slow-going at times. Please read the Hadrian's Wall Code of Respect in your guidebook, which gives guidelines as to how to care for the natural environment for this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Navigation

The Hadrian's Wall is well waymarked and easy to follow. Navigation is straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure Smartphone App which has maps, GPS tracks and daily route information. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation on this tour will be made simple and you cannot get lost.

You will find more information on downloading the app in your Macs Adventure Account.

Accommodations

Overnight in B&B’s, small hotels and guesthouses, specifically chosen to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay. They all offer a warm welcome to walkers and traditional hospitality.

The first day’s walk to Heddon (or beyond) is one of the longer walks so many of our walkers choose to arrive early in Newcastle, drop their bags at their accommodation in Newcastle and then enjoy the 5 mile (2.5 hour) walk to Tyne Bridge that afternoon, returning by metro to Wallsend and starting again from Tyne Bridge in the following morning. If you would like to do this please let us know when you book.

Please note that Bowness has limited accommodation and transport links so many walkers choose to finish the last days walk in Bowness and then catch the bus back to Carlisle that afternoon, ready for the journey home the next day. Just let us know at the time of booking if you would prefer this option.

Accommodation Location

We will always try and accommodate you at the locations detailed in the tour itinerary. Occasionally, because of limited availability, we may have to accommodate you into alternative accommodations which are not listed in the description. If those listed are unavailable the alternative accommodation will be of the same or better standard than those described.

IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE REGARDING OVERNIGHTING IN BRAMPTON - Due to very few accommodations in Lanercost/Haytongate, you will likely be staying in Brampton overnight instead. Brampton is approximately a 3-mile (5km) walk away from the Hadrian's wall trail path turn-off at Haytongate and 2.5 miles (4km) from Lanercost. You can either walk this section (adding the 3 miles / 5km to your walking day) using our supplemented walking route given in or alternatively, if your legs are feeling a bit tired or you'd rather not walk this extra section, you can instead call a local taxi company to take you to Brampton instead (number given in your tour documentation). Local cab companies generally do runs via Lanercost priory for around £10-15 depending on the time of day/year. The Priory is worth a visit in itself and also has a tearoom where you can get refreshments as you wait. The following morning, you will again have to decide if you wish to book a local taxi back to the Lanercost priory or walk via our supplemented route (again potentially adding 3 miles / 5km to your walk).

Solo Walkers & Single Rooms

This tour is available to solo walkers, although a supplement is payable. If you require single rooms within your party we would be happy to accommodate your request, although it is not generally possible to secure more than three single rooms in a party. A single supplement is also payable.

Included

Overnights in B&B’s, small hotels and guesthouses
Breakfasts
Luggage transfers
Access to maps, GPX tracks and daily route information with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
All your trip documents provided digitally through your online Macs “My Account”
Hadrian’s Wall Passport (for those travelling between May and October)
24/7 Emergency telephone support from our UK office

Excluded

Travel insurance (required)
Travel to Newcastle/Corbridge
Travel from Bowness/Gilsland/Brampton or Carlisle
Lunches & Dinners
Drinks and snacks
Personal equipment

Extras

Extra night(s)

When To Go

You can begin this long-distance walk anytime between March and October. Between these dates, the weather can be vastly different, from rain to wind to glorious days of sunshine. Please come prepared for walking in rain or shine.

Please note there are various events on throughout the year that may make availability difficult in the city of Newcastle (large concert events and the Great North Run). During these periods we recommend booking our "Best of" or Short Break Itineraries. Your adventure specialist will advise you of any difficulty in booking on particular dates.

Getting to the Start

Newcastle is a major transport hub in the northeast of England and has excellent rail, road and air links from both Scotland and the South of England. All public transport information may be found on the Traveline or Trainline websites.

By Rail

Newcastle is on the main East Coast rail line. A direct train from London takes approx 3 hours, or from Edinburgh takes around 1h 30m.

By Air

From outside the UK you can fly to Newcastle with several airlines including Easyjet, KLM and Airfrance.

By Road

You can easily reach Newcastle by road too. It is a 2hr drive from Edinburgh via the East coast of Scotland or approx 3hrs from London. Car parking is quite limited but it is available at the main hotel we use in Newcastle which is £12 per night. Parking there is on a first-come, first-served basis and unfortunately cannot be reserved. You can also find a list of off-street parking locations here - https://www.newcastle.gov.uk/services/parking-and-permits/car-parks-and-street-parking/street-parking-places-order-city-centre

Getting to Corbridge

Our 'Best Of'’ itineraries all start in Corbridge, which is easily accessible by train from Newcastle. Trains run approximately every half an hour and the journey can take anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on if they are direct or not. If you wish to drive to Corbridge, we can ask your accommodation if you can leave your car there whilst you are walking, but this will be on a request basis and subject to availability.

Getting from the End

Local bus and taxi services connect to Carlisle from where there are excellent transport links from both Scotland and the south of England. Again you can check the Traveline website for more information. You can also check the National Rail website. If you wish to return to Newcastle there are direct trains departing from Carlisle approximately every hour and the journey time is about 1h 40m.

Bowness has limited accommodation and transport links so many walkers choose to finish the last day's walk in Bowness and then catch the bus back to Carlisle that afternoon for a second night in Carlisle, ready for the journey home from Carlisle the following morning. Just let us know at the time of booking if you would prefer this option.

Getting from Bowness/Gilsland/Brampton and Carlisle

Our 'Best Of' itineraries either finish in Gilsland, Brampton or Carlisle. From Gilsland you can take a local taxi to Haltwhistle and catch a train from here to Corbridge/Newcastle. The trains are every hour. Or if you want to travel onwards via Carlisle you can take a local taxi from Gilsland to Brampton. From there, catch a train or bus to Carlisle. The 685 bus leaves from the centre of Brampton every hour.

If you are getting the train from Brampton please be aware that the station is approximately 2.5 miles from the centre of the town along a country road (there is a safe path to walk along). The trains from Brampton are almost every two hours. On Sundays, the train services are less frequent and the bus services only run a few times per day on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

All public transport information may be found on the Traveline or Trainline websites.

If you want to take advantage of the AD122, the Hadrian’s Wall bus in order to see extra sights, or perhaps have a non-walking day, please check out the information on the Hadrian’s Wall website. It is possible to download a timetable which you may then carry with you.

Luggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation.

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase. Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person. It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.

General Information

The distances listed are an approximation of daily walk lengths.

You may also notice that the total overall distance varies on our different itineraries - this is due to where you overnight along the way. Some examples of this - on our shortest (full) Hadrian's Wall Path itinerary (7 Day / 6 Night) you will remain on the Hadrian's Wall path for large sections meaning you will not detour off to overnight in places such as Once Brewed (which means you don't add in the extra mileages of coming off and back onto the Hadrian's Wall Path). Or on our longest (full) Hadrian's Wall Path itinerary (10-day / 9 Night), there is a 3-mile (out and back) detour to overnight in Corbridge that you would otherwise skip on our other itineraries.

Equipment

Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen etc. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walk boots, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a daypack.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.

How far in advance do I need to book?

How fit do I need to be?

How do the baggage transfers work?

How do I get to the starting point of the walk?

What can I do if I can’t walk?

I don’t want to walk 15 miles on my first day, what can I do?

Walking Direction

Am I able to take my dog?

What happens if I can’t walk a stage?

What personal equipment do I need?

When is the best time of year?

Variations of distances in itineraries

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Newcastle and overnight Day 2 Wallsend to Heddon 16 miles / 25.5 km

It is the wide rolling mass of the River Tyne, and not Hadrian’s Wall, that is a constant companion during this section of the walk, allowing you to cut through the centre of Newcastle with ease, and then escape the last industrial clutches of the city. You will eventually turn your back on the river and head up to Heddon-on-the-Wall, a peaceful village to spend the night with an intact 100-metre stretch of Hadrian’s Broad Wall.

Ascent: 175m / Descent: 60m

PLEASE NOTE: As there is limited accommodation in Heddon, we may have to book you into accommodation in nearby Newburn, which is 3 miles before Heddon. This means you will have 3 miles less to walk today, but 3 miles more the following day.

Overnight Heddon

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Wormald House | Bed and breakfast

Wormald House is a pleasant country home located near the centre of Wylam. It is the birthplace of railway pioneer George Stephenson and Wormald House stands on the site of the birthplace of one of his contempories - Timothy Hackworth. You will be guaranteed a warm welcome and comfortable stay and the owners will do everything possible to make your visit enjoyable and memorable.

Hadrian’s Barn | Bed and breakfast

Hadrians Barn is a unique and friendly place to stay just five minutes from the Hadrian wall path and a ten minute walk from Heddon-on-the-wall village. There is free wifi available and a garden and patio area to relax in the evening.

Heddon Lodge | Bed and breakfast

You will be guaranteed a warm welcome when you check into this B&B with lovely homemade treats and tea. All rooms have the amenities you require for a lovely overnight stay along with some added little extras like under floor heating. Breakfast in the morning is served in the conservatory with lovely views over the Tyne valley.

Day 3 Heddon to Chollerford 16 miles / 26 km Day 4 Chollerford to Once Brewed 13 miles / 20.5 km Day 5 Once Brewed to Haytongate (Lanercost/Brampton) 15.5 miles / 25 km

Beginning in Once Brewed with a climb to Winshields Crags, this is the most strenuous part of the day, but you will be rewarded with excellent views and some of the best-preserved sections of Hadrian's Wall. From here the route continues across rolling terrain passing several historic sights. The route eventually comes to Gilsland where you can relax at a local cafe or bar enjoying a well-deserved drink before continuing on towards the turn-off at Haytongate, where you will come off the official Hadrian's Wall path and into Lanercost/Brampton for your overnight accommodation.

Ascent: 340m / Descent: 470m

IMPORTANT: The distances and ascents/descents listed in this section are from Once Brewed to the Haytongate turn-off, where you come off the official Hadrian's Wall trail path. From the Haytongate turn-off, you are likely to be walking to the closest village which is Lanercost (adding approximately 0.6 miles / 1km) for your overnight accommodation or take a taxi to Brampton.

PLEASE NOTE: You may be overnighting in Brampton due to there being very few accommodations in Lanercost. From the Haytongate turn-off - if you decide to walk via our supplemented route to Brampton town centre - you will be adding approximately 3 miles (5km) and 100m's of ascent/descent to your walking day. This 3-mile section into Brampton can also be skipped by booking a local taxi from Lanercost Priory (number given in your tour documentation). Lanercost Priory has a tea room, so you can grab some refreshments while you wait.

Overnight Lanercost

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Lanercost Equestrian and Country Accommodation | Bed and breakfast

An 18th century country house and stables set in beautiful grounds, offering B&B accommodation in the historic village of Lanercost. The B&B has three rooms that are fitted with all the necessities to ensure an enjoyable stay. There are TV's in all rooms along with kettle and tea/coffee facilities. Hand wash, shower, bath gels and relaxing bath salts are laid out for use. They also have drying facilities for wet boots and clothing and a laundry service which is priced at £7.00 per load wash. They have a 2 acre garden and free WiFi. You can also relax in the lounge area to share stories with likeminded walkers!

Scotch Arms Mews | Bed and breakfast

The Scotch Arms Mews was originally an Inn, now a B&B with 10 rooms and a bar area to engage in a social drink. The guest bed rooms all have en-suite facilities and the owners have maintained the original features of the building. In the morning you can enjoy a lovely buffet breakfast (bacon, eggs, tomatoes, fruit salads, yoghurts and many more options).

Howard Arms Hotel | Hotel

Typical Cumbrian Inn in the heart of Brampton. All rooms are en-suite. They have laundry facilities and drying room.

Day 6 Haytongate (via Lanercost/Brampton) to Carlisle 13.5 miles / 21.5 km

As the wall was predominantly dirt and turf in this section there is very little evidence on the wall remaining but this is still a lovely section of rural countryside and gives you time to reflect before entering the hustle and bustle of Carlisle. Carlisle is a large town and has all the facilities you may have been missing over the past couple of days. The magnificent Castle, cathedral and the Tullie House Museum are all well worth a visit if you have any spare time.

Ascent: 40m / Descent: 120m

IMPORTANT: The distances and ascents/descents listed from this section are from the Haytongate turn-off, where you re-join the official Hadrian's Wall trail path to Carlisle. A further 0.6 miles / 1km walk at the very least is likely required as you walk from Lanercost to the Haytongate turn-off.

PLEASE NOTE: You may be overnighting in Brampton due to there being very few accommodations in Lanercost. From Brampton town centre - if you decide to walk via our supplemented route to the Haytongate turn-off - you will be adding approximately 3 miles (5km) and 100m's of ascent/descent to your walking day. This 3-mile section to the Haytongate turn-off can also be skipped by booking a local taxi from your local accommodation in Brampton to the Lanercost Priory (number given in your tour documentation).

Overnight Carlisle

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Fernlee Guest House | Guest House

Fernlee Guest House is owned and run by Debbie and Mark Armstrong and offers B&B accommodation in a delightful Victorian property which is well deserving of its 4 Star Visit England Silver Award. Their modern, spacious and well-furnished rooms provide en-suite facilities, towels/toiletries, tea/coffee making facilities and free Wifi. They also have a drying room for wet clothes and guest lounge where you can relax in the evening.

Howard Lodge | Guest House

Howard Lodge is a friendly family run Victorian guest house located a short walk from Carlisle city centre. All the rooms are spacious, tastefully decorated and have en-suite shower rooms. The dining room which is modern, bright and airy, with many original features, will make a relaxing start to your day.

Langleigh Guest House | Bed and breakfast

Langleigh is situated on a quiet tree lined street a few minutes’ walk from the centre of Carlisle. All rooms are en-suite and have all the amenities you require for a lovely overnight stay. They have a laundry service for those unfortunate wet weather days and charge £5.00 per load.