Hadrians Wall walking tours, England
| country: | England |
| location: | Northumberland |
| trip type: | Introductory to strenuous walking holidays |
| departures: | Self guided tours can be arranged any time between Apr - Oct |
| price: | From £420 - £790 (5-10 days) excluding flights. Price depends on length of trip and choice of guided or self guided tour. Includes B&B accommodation on a twin share basis, some meals and transfers to/from the station. Optional single supplement £100 - £150. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Guided and self guided walking holidays
Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail is an unbroken 84 mile signposted trail stretching from coast to coast, from Bowness-on-Solway in the west to Wallsend in the east. It passes through some of the most beautiful parts of England - from rolling fields and rugged moorland to the vibrant cities of Newcastle and Carlisle.
These holidays follow the trail and enable you to see the beautiful countryside and experience the culture as well as discover the history of this remote part of the country.
From £695 (7 days) ex flights
Jon Monks (your guide) will walk with you throughout the trip and will be fully supported with a mini bus back up. All lunches will be provided either as a picnic lunch or a packed lunch. Both the walking guide and mini bus support driver will be with you throughout the entire trip.
Self guided:
From £420 (5 days) ex flights
This is the shortest holiday we offer along Hadrian’s Wall, but be warned it is very demanding with the two middle days being 24 and 27 miles. Please only do this walk if you are fit enough to walk 84 miles in 4 days! Walk the trail with this demanding self guided trip.
From £495 (6 days) ex flights
This is a relatively demanding way to walk the wall, with days 3 and 4 being 19 and 21 miles respectively. You will need a good level of fitness to undertake the trail using this trip.
From £565 (7 days) ex flights
For those looking to explore this beautiful countryside at your own pace this is the ideal option. We book all your accommodation, transfer your luggage and then provide you with route notes and itinerary for you to do the trail ‘unguided’.
From £640 (8 days) ex flights
Walk the trail at your own pace with this great self guided trip, which will give you time to enjoy the countryside you are passing through.
From £790 (10 days) ex flights
This trip will give you plenty of time to explore some of the historic sites on route. Walk at your own pace and enjoy the Hadrian’s Wall Trail.
See below for a 7 day sample itinerary
Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail is an unbroken 84 mile signposted trail stretching from coast to coast, from Bowness-on-Solway in the west to Wallsend in the east. It passes through some of the most beautiful parts of England - from rolling fields and rugged moorland to the vibrant cities of Newcastle and Carlisle.
These holidays follow the trail and enable you to see the beautiful countryside and experience the culture as well as discover the history of this remote part of the country.
tour options
Guided: From £695 (7 days) ex flights
Jon Monks (your guide) will walk with you throughout the trip and will be fully supported with a mini bus back up. All lunches will be provided either as a picnic lunch or a packed lunch. Both the walking guide and mini bus support driver will be with you throughout the entire trip.
Self guided:
From £420 (5 days) ex flights
This is the shortest holiday we offer along Hadrian’s Wall, but be warned it is very demanding with the two middle days being 24 and 27 miles. Please only do this walk if you are fit enough to walk 84 miles in 4 days! Walk the trail with this demanding self guided trip.
From £495 (6 days) ex flights
This is a relatively demanding way to walk the wall, with days 3 and 4 being 19 and 21 miles respectively. You will need a good level of fitness to undertake the trail using this trip.
From £565 (7 days) ex flights
For those looking to explore this beautiful countryside at your own pace this is the ideal option. We book all your accommodation, transfer your luggage and then provide you with route notes and itinerary for you to do the trail ‘unguided’.
From £640 (8 days) ex flights
Walk the trail at your own pace with this great self guided trip, which will give you time to enjoy the countryside you are passing through.
From £790 (10 days) ex flights
This trip will give you plenty of time to explore some of the historic sites on route. Walk at your own pace and enjoy the Hadrian’s Wall Trail.
See below for a 7 day sample itinerary
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive Carlisle. You can make your own way to Carlisle by train, or alternatively if you choose to drive, we can pick you up at a desiganted spot in Newcastle upon Tyne and take you over to Carlisle in the support vehicle. Overnight stay in Carlisle, with evening briefing about the walk ahead. |
| Day 2: | Bowness on Solway to Carlisle - 14 Miles. From Carlisle we will transfer you to Bowness on Solway, the start of our journey along Hadrian’s Wall National Trail. This is a lovely start to the walk, with fine views over Bowness of Solway, designated an area of outstanding natural beauty, with it’s abundance of bird life. To the south we look back on the high peaks of the Lake District. The walk takes you straight back to the hotel which is located on Hadrian’s Wall. The evening you are free to explore Carlisle and try some of the local cuisine. Carlisle is famous for its Castle, a great medieval fortress that has watched over the City of Carlisle for over nine centuries. You can explore fascinating and ancient chambers, stairways and dungeons and find the legendary 'licking stones'. |
| Day 3: | Carlisle to Banks – 16 miles. After saying our farewells to your hosts in Carlisle you set out on today’s walk, a pleasant days ramble through open countryside. A relatively easy day’s walk this section of the wall is made from sod, but it’s never the less still impressive. Our finish point for today is the small village of Banks. From here you will be transferred to your accommodation in the Twice Brewed, Steel Rigg area. |
| Day 4: | Banks to Steel Rigg - 12 miles. From you accommodation you will be transferred back to Banks. The first section of the 4th day actually takes you next to the wall, past Birdoswald Fort and up over the famous Winshields Crags to Steel Rigg. Birdoswald Fort stands high above a bend in the River Irthing, in one of the most picturesque settings on Hadrian's Wall. A Roman fort, turret and milecastle can all be seen on this excellent stretch of the Wall. With probably the best-preserved defences of any Wall fort, this was an important base for some 1,000 Roman soldiers, succeeding an earlier fort of turf and timber. Upon reaching Steel Rigg it’s just a short walk to your accommodation. |
| Day 5: | Steel Rigg to Chollerford - 12 miles. After a hearty breakfast you have what is probably one of the most famous and dramatic sections of the wall, past Sycamore Gap and Crag Lough. This section of the wall has been used a number of times in films, so memories will jump out at you all day. On this day we pass Houseteads which is the most complete example of a Roman fort in Britain, and now the most popular site on the Wall. It stands high on the exposed Whin Sill escarpment, commanding breathtaking views. It was one of 12 permanent forts added to the new frontier by Hadrian in about AD 124. Known as 'Vercovicium' ('the place of effective fighters'), it was garrisoned by a cohort of around 800 infantry (for most of its history Tungrians from Belgium), later reinforced by Germanic cavalry. Your route takes you to Chollerford. You will be staying the vicinity of Heddon on the Wall that night and you will be transferred to your accommodation. |
| Day 6: | Chollerford to Heddon on the Wall - 15 miles. At the start of this day you will be transfeered back to Chollerford. This days walking starts by you rise up out of Chollerford and there are some lovely views North to the Cheviot Hills. Today’s an easier days walking than the two previous ones, and there are a number of places to stop off on route for light refreshments. The route takes you straight back to your accommodation in the Heddon area where after a relaxing shower you can walk to one of the local public houses for your evening meal. |
| Day 7: | Heddon on the Wall to Segedunum Fort – 15 miles. The final day is a day of contrast. Firstly you follow the Tyne through some lovely countryside, before walking through some of the rich industrial heritage Newcastle upon Tyne was built on. Much of the waterfront has now been redeveloped as you pass grand hotels, the Tyne Bridge, Sage Gateshead (new music centre) and the recently opened Baltic (arts centre), a cultural revolution evolving from an Industrial one! Segedunum Roman Fort is the end of the trail and where you will be able to celebrate your achievement. Segedunum Roman Fort stands on the banks of the River Tyne, the last outpost of Hadrian's Wall. For almost 300 years Segedunum, which means 'strong fort', was home to 600 Roman soldiers. Congratulations are in order. You will then be transferred to your car in Newcastle, Newcastle Railway Station or Newcastle Airport (if requested). Alternatively we can add an extra night stay for you in Newcastle upon Tyne, allowing you to make your own way home the following day. |
this tourism business was Highly Commended
In our 2005 First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards, the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine. The idea behind the Awards is that all types of tourism – from niche to mainstream – can and should be operated in a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people. how this holiday makes a difference
|
Global adventures start with a local perspective – that's our philosophy. Whether abroad, or just as importantly at home, the start point is the same; how to get the most enjoyable holiday for our customers while benefiting the local people, economy and respecting the environment.
These walking holidays are a great way to explore the beautiful Northumberland countryside and coastline, enabling you to take in the surroundings without damaging the environment. We use local guides and support people, small independent B&B's, guest houses and hotels to ensure that the money stays in the local economy. Where we provide food we aim to use locally produced product. We provide travellers with Travellers Codes that encourage the reduction of water usage, systems for collecting, recycling or safe disposal of litter and relevant suggestions to minimise damage to the environment, wildlife and marine ecosystems. All our guided holidays have a maximum group size of 12 to 15 people minimising the environmental impact. We actively work for footpath sustainability, through funding footpath restoration projects in the Northumberland National Park. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |