Hadrian's Wall

The honest truth is that there is no right or wrong way to walk the Hadrian's Wall Path - it really comes down to personal preference but it can often be a bit of a hot topic! Below are the most commonly known reasons why people opt to walk in a particular way:

East to West – most popular (Wallsend to Bowness-on-Solway)

• The Romans built the wall from east to west, starting at the North Sea and going to the Irish Sea, so many walkers do it this way as it gives the sense of you are following the same path that the Roman soldiers did when they constructed it
• There are some great museums - Great Hancock and Segedunum Fort - in Newcastle that give a wonderful context to the history and culture of the walk before you start (as opposed to finish).
• Easier connections to Newcastle from Airports/train stations at the start (so if you have a long flight for example, you don't need to make your way to Bowness-on-Solway in the evening or potentially spend an extra night in Newcastle). it's also argued that it's nicer to walk out of a big industrial city into the fresh air of the countryside as opposed to finishing in it.

West to East (Bowness-on-Solway to Wallsend)

• The main reason for walking it west to east is that the prevailing winds in Northern England generally blow from the Atlantic (west to east), meaning you will have the wind at your back for most of the journey, which of course makes things a little easier.
• Taking the wind factor out of things, the trail is considered slightly easier to walk west to east as the terrain is slightly less steep and heads downward.

How Long? When? The most essential facts about the wall would be how long it is and when was it built. The 73-mile-long wall was constructed in 117AD by Emperor Hadrian, to separate the Roman Empire from the northern Barbarians. In its glory, the wall was around 15 feet high and 10 feet wide.

Who actually built it? It took around 15,000 men over six years to build the wall. There were three main Roman garrisons stationed in England and Wales and all of these men were put to work building the wall. Hadrian himself had a keen interest in architecture and is thought to have designed it. At Chesters, you can see the names of the centurions who actually built the wall, carved into stone tablets. 

How much of the wall still exists? Only around 10% of the original wall still remains. While much of the land is still shaped to accommodate the wall, the stone itself was re-purposed or buried after the wall was abandoned. Many local buildings are said to be built from the stone from Hadrian's Wall. 

Is this the border between Scotland and England? No, it never was.  It marked the border of the Roman Empire before they headed further north and created the Antonine Wall, before retreating back to the more secure Hadrian's Wall. Most of Northumberland, England's largest county, is north of the wall, so the wall definitely does not indicate the border. 

Thinking of walking Hadrian's Wall Path, but don't know where to start? 

Macs Adventure to the rescue! Simply download our Free 14-page Hadrian's Wall Path guide from the link below to read on your phone, tablet or good old printed page.  

Download your Free Hadrian's Wall Path Guide