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Walking Hadrian’s Wall
From £2,550
Summary
Discover the archaeological remains at Vindolanda
The Hadrian’s Wall footpath crosses wild and beautiful terrain, its route covering the shortest distance coast to coast across the country following Hadrian’s ambitious frontier. Our walking tour takes in forts, milecastles and turrets, road, vallum and road ditch, inscriptions and of course wall structure. Our lecturers will introduce you to the tactical and strategic consideration of such a complex frontier system and explain what Hadrian’s plan might have been when he ‘built a wall eighty miles long to separate the Romans from the barbarians’.
We start along the shore of the Solway Firth and end at the excavated fort and reconstructed bath-house at Segedunum. Crossing the remote Northumbrian and Cumbrian fells, one can easily imagine the Roman soldiers, far from Syria or Spain, as they patrolled the farthest flung corner of the Empire.
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Your Departure date
Today's Price
£2,550
Deposit: £500 Single supplement: £480
Enhance your experience
Whether you want to add extra nights on either side of your tour, you want to upgrade your flight or hotel room, or you are hoping to enjoy a door-to-door airport transfer, we can help.
To add special extras to your tour, call our Specialist Sales Executives to discuss your needs on 01722 713800.
Meet your Experts
Mark Corney
Andante Guide Lecturer
Mark Corney is an Archaeologist, broadcaster and former Senior Landscape Investigator with the Royal Commission for Historic Monuments of England.
Your itinerary
Day 1 - Wetheral
Our journey begins in the Cumbrian village of Wetheral, perched high on the banks of the River Eden. Here we check in to our hotel, where we meet our group and guide lecturer. This evening we enjoy an introductory talk about the history of Hadrian’s Wall – an engaging taster of what is to come.
| Hotel | Crown Hotel Wetheral |
|---|---|
| Meals included | Dinner |
Day 2 - Tullie House Museum
This morning we drive to Bowness-on-Solway where our walk begins. We wander along the shore of the Solway Firth toward Burgh-by-Sands. The day ends with a visit to Tullie House Museum in Carlisle. (c 4.5 miles)
| Hotel | Crown Hotel Wetheral |
|---|---|
| Meals included | All meals included |
Day 3 - Birdoswald
We start at Lanercost Priory, built from stone taken from Hadrian’s Wall, and then stroll via Haytongate, Hare Hill and the Banks Turret to Birdoswald. Later, we explore Roman remains at Birdoswald fort. An auxiliary unit of Dacians (from modern Romania) formed the garrison. (c 5 miles).
| Hotel | Crown Hotel Wetheral |
|---|---|
| Meals included | All meals included |
Day 4 - Carvoran
We return to Birdoswald and begin walking towards Thirlwell along the longest unbroken section of Hadrian’s Wall. After a short drive we stop at Carvoran to explore the notable collections at the Roman Army Museum. We continue towards Burnhead to view the quarry. (c 6 miles)
| Hotel | Beaumont Hotel, Hexham |
|---|---|
| Meals included | All meals included |
Day 5 - Vindolanda
After lunch, we drive to Steel Rigg, a dramatic crag with views of the rugged countryside. We pick up our trail and make our way to Housesteads Roman Fort to finish the day, viewing the remains and the museum here. (c 3.5 miles)
| Hotel | Beaumont Hotel, Hexham |
|---|---|
| Meals included | All meals included |
Day 6 - Chesters
We lace up our boots and visit the mithraeum at Carrawburgh, our starting point for today. It is thought that this elegant temple was built by Roman soldiers in around 200 AD, as its three altars, dedicated to the bull-slaying god Mithras, were all inscribed from commanding officers. A nymphaeum, or natural grotto, was also located here, though no visible traces remain.
This afternoon we stride out to Chesters on the bank of the North Tyne River, enjoying the fresh country air and changing views. At Chesters we are rewarded with a visit to the most complete Roman cavalry fort in the country, Cilurnum. The site, maintained by English Heritage, features an extensive collection of artefacts, a fine bath building and officers’ quarters. (c 6 miles)
| Hotel | Beaumont Hotel, Hexham |
|---|---|
| Meals included | All meals included |
Day 7 - Corbridge
This morning, we drive out to Heavenfield and trek to Port Gate, the site of a fortified gateway controlling traffic along Dere Street, the Roman road that ran north to the Firth of Forth. Following lunch, a drive to Corbridge takes us to a once vibrant Roman town and major military depot. We view artefacts at the museum. We then walk along the River Tyne to Corbridge, to see the preserved Roman bridge abutment and reused Roman masonry in the Anglo-Saxon church. (c 5 miles)
| Hotel | Beaumont Hotel, Hexham |
|---|---|
| Meals included | All meals included |
Day 8 - Benwell
Starting our tour at Whittle Dene Reservoir this morning, we wander to Heddon-on-the-Wall, where we see a well-preserved stretch of the wall. This substantial structure demonstrates how thick the wall was meant to be, showing it at its original, planned width of two metres. A medieval kiln and circular chambers are also visible here.
Later we view the surviving wall that stretches around Denton, before continuing to the Temple at Benwell, dedicated to the local god Antenociticus, a deity thought to have been involved with military affairs. With the majority of our leg-work now behind us, tonight we kick off our hiking gear and enjoy a well-earned dinner to mark the last night of our holiday with the group. (c 4.5 mile walk)
| Hotel | Beaumont Hotel, Hexham |
|---|---|
| Meals included | All meals included |
Day 9 - Segedunum
Our journey from coast to coast is almost at an end. We enjoy a gentle walk from Scotswood to the remains of the Roman fort at Newcastle, on the banks of the River Tyne. From there we board a metro to the Great North Museum, which was built for Northumbria’s natural history collection in 1884. Alongside fantastic fossil galleries and displays about the living planet we find a detailed Hadrian’s Wall exhibition, where treasures and stories abound.
Our final destination is Wallsend, where we visit the site of Segedunum, the most completely excavated fort on Hadrian’s Wall, which once housed troops from mainland North Europe. An interactive museum reveals what life would have been like for a cavalry officer at the height of the garrison’s powers. The adventure comes to an end at the seaside town of South Shields, where we say our goodbyes and head home. (3 mile walk)
| Meals included | Breakfast, Lunch |
|---|
Tour dates & prices
Included in your cost:
- Expert Guide Lecturer
- Professional Tour Manager
- Local travel aboard a private air-conditioned coach
- Accommodation
- Meals as per the itinerary, wine and tea or coffee with dinner
- Entries to all sites as per the itinerary
- Field notes
- All taxes & gratuities
| Tour Departure | Tour ID | Departure date | Return Date | Guided by | Price | Deposit | Single supplement | Offer | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 July 2022 | AHAD220704 | 4 July 2022 (Monday) | 12 July 2022 (Tuesday) | Mark Corney | £2,550 (ex. flights) |
£500 | £480 | Book your trip | |
| 5 September 2022 | AHAD220905 | 5 September 2022 (Monday) | 13 September 2022 (Tuesday) | Tony Wilmott | £2,960 (ex. flights) |
£500 | £620 | Book your trip | |
| 24 July 2023 | AHAD230724 | 24 July 2023 (Monday) | 1 August 2023 (Tuesday) | Tony Wilmott | £2,665 (ex. flights) |
£750 | £495 |
£2,490 save £175 |
Book your trip |
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