Walking Hadrian’s Wall
Hadrian’s Wall is an 84-mile long national treasure, stretching from coast to coast across northern England, from Newcastle to Cumbria. It is a national heritage site, which boasts some of the most beautiful views in the country, with dozens of museums and historic points to stop at and explore along the way, providing a great insight to life in ancient England. The wall was built by Emperor Hadrian in 2nd Century AD, and it served as the frontier for the roman empire for 300 years.
Walking the Hadrian’s Wall Trail
The typical route goes from east to west, with the purpose being to follow the route that was taken to build the wall. The average time for completing the walk is 5-10 days, depending on your individual pace and previous walking experience. We recommend taking a slightly slower pace than you may normally, to fully take in the scenery and impressive landmarks that are surrounding you. Why not consider doing this with a group of people on a walking holiday, this gives you the opportunity to meet other like-minded people and get any extra support and motivation when the going gets tough.
Advice for planning your trip
Although the usual route is to walk east to west, walking from west to east may make the walk slightly easier for you weather-wise. If you were to walk this way, you will not be walking against the wind and the sunlight will not be in your eyes – meaning you will not feel as tired or squinting for most of the walk!
It is important to consider what you will be carrying for the walk – as much of the path is rocky and difficult to walk on, therefore the fewer items you are carrying the better. Ensure that you pack waterproofs and plenty of water throughout your journey, as well as carrying some blister plasters in your pocket. If carrying your overnight back doesn’t sound like your thing – consider booking a service such as Hadrian’s Haul, which will drop your over night back off at your next location for just £7, meaning you can complete the walk with a light day bag for ease and comfort.
Research accommodation and make sure to pre-book any hotels or hostels beforehand. Ensure that you know exactly where you are going to walk and on what days and pre book your accommodation to guarantee availability. With many hikers doing this trail each year, there is limited accommodation and you do not want to end up being caught out. Try to plan as much in advance as you can, and make sure that you are realistic and can get to each destination in time.
