Haltwhistle to Hadrian’s Wall: 4.0 km with 83/21m ascent/descent. Up out of the South Tyne Valley through the heart of the historic market town and up the Burn Gorge, full of remnants of a thick industrial past based on mining, brickworks and the power of the fast-flowing water. Then across the open upland through the Roman Military Zone, with impressive traces of Stanegate Roman Road, Haltwhistle Burn Roman Fortlet, Roman Marching Camps and Cemeteries.
Hadrian’s Wall: 8.6 km/5.4 mi, 243/154m from Cawfield Quarry to Housesteads. Steady ascent to the highest point on the HWP, at Winshield Crags, followed by undulating route along a steady line of crags, with dramatic views north across commons and moors, as well as to the south across pastures. Sights: the famous ‘Sycamore Gap’ with the stump of the ‘Robin Hood Tree’, Crag Lough, Housesteads/Borcovicium Fort (interior ticketed but can be walked around); high presence of Roman structures due to the remoteness of the area and its inaccessibility for the ‘recycling’ of rocks in farms, roads, ecclesiastical and private buildings.
Housesteads to Bardon Mill: 6.9 km with 65/242m ascent/descent via Vindolanda Roman Fort. From the undulating craggy landscape of Hadrian’s Wall core landscape down the Chainley Burn gorge and past Vindolanda Roman Fort (which preceded Hadrian's Wall).
Walk Options: Visits of Housesteads and Vindolanda Forts. Combi tickets should be available.
#2026-08-04T09:33 t=swc.413.c
2 comments:
9.33 cancelled. 9.53 is the next option, travels 3 mins faster....
A few more departures and a troublesome foot meant only n=10 walkers were left for today's walk, one of which walking this in the opposite direction.
We started 20 minutes late due to a cancelled train and under grey clouds which indeed discharged a long-ish shower just before the turnoff for the lunch pub. 2 strode on, while 7 turned down to the Twice Brewed Inn for tasty meals, efficient service and great beer.
The rain had stopped by the time we got started again and soon enough we passed the stump of the Sycamore Tree. Fenced off and growing shoots again according to an NT note on the fence, not much could be seen of it as the surrounding weeds are actually taller than the stump!
The sky brightened up and towards the end, sun lotion would have come in handy. Very scenic route this, even before you mention the wall.
Enough time for a pint at The Bowes Hotel before the 17.40 to Carlisle.
W=grey-sky-with-a-shower-later-sunny-breaks
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