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General
Information
Duration
of tour: 8 days (7 nights)
Season:
30 March
– Mid October.
Starting
point of tour: Whitley Bay (Newcastle Upon Tyne).
Tour
ends: Carlisle (Cumbria)
Nearest
major City and International Airport: Newcastle. Also transpennine
routes from Manchester Airport.
National
Rail website is www.nationalrail.co.uk
if you want to look at the journey involved.
Breakfast:
in the UK will generally consist of sausage, bacon, eggs etc, cereals and
fruit will also be available. It is important for you to tell us if you
have any dietary requirements when you book your holiday so that we can
inform everyone that you are staying with.
Baths:
it is not normal for your room to have a bath, the main reason being that
it takes up a lot of space, some hotels/guesthouses may have a separate
room in the house where a bath is available to guests, but in the main it
is showers.
Single
Supplements:
are payable on most of our tours. The single supplement
guarantees the privacy of your own room, however, rooms can at times be
small and in some places may not enjoy the same facilities as double/twin
rooms.
Luggage:
When staying in hotels, sometimes your luggage will have been taken to
you room awaiting your arrival. However don’t be surprised if your
luggage is waiting for you to take it up to your room.
Grading
Easy
to Moderate. Some longish days (around 13–15 miles) and short steep
climbs and descents. Generally however undulating. Mixed weather can be
expected at anytime.
Waymarking
National
Trail Acorn marks often attached to “finger posts” and stiles. The
wall either as an embankment or a wall forms a suitable waymark for much
of the route, but you will have to use map interpretation especially in
times of low visibility, and getting to know how far you have come. So you
should be accustomed to using map and compass.
Getting to the Start
Getting
to the Area and back
From
Newcastle bus or train station and Airport, you can easily connect with
the Nexus Metro to take you to
Whitley Bay within about an hour. If you cannot manage with your baggage
then you will need to hire a taxi.
Rail:
Fast frequent rail services along the East Coast Main line between London,
York and Edinburgh, operated by GNER with rail connections from Newcastle
into the Tyne Valley. Virgin Trains operate Intercity trains between
London, Manchester, Carlisle and Glasgow with rail connections from
Carlisle into the Tyne Valley. Virgin Trains also operate cross-country
intercity services providing links to Newcastle from Scotland, South West
England, Birmingham, Sheffield and Leeds. Inter-Regional Trans-Pennine
services provide frequent services to Newcastle from Liverpool,
Manchester, West Yorkshire and York. Please contact National Rail
Enquiries 08457 484950 for details of timings and they will pass you on to
the relevant train booking numbers, alternatively www.nationalrail.co.uk
Bus:
National Express coaches from the main cities to and from both Newcastle
and Carlisle. A special bus
service - the Hadrian’s Wall Bus - operates daily along about half of
the length of the Wall throughout summer. It stops at all the key
locations (including Vindolanda, Birdoswald, Chesters, Once Brewed and
Housesteads).
By
Air:
Newcastle Airport has regular international flights from Amsterdam,
Bergen, Copenhagen, Dublin, Dusseldorf, Oslo, Paris and Stavanger, as well
as a regular shuttle flights from London Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.
There are domestic flights to Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Southampton,
Isle of Man, Jersey and Wick.
By
Road:
There
are good motorway connections to Hadrian's Wall. Access from the western
side of the country is along the M6 from the south and A74 (M) from
Glasgow to Carlisle. Access from the eastern side of the country is along
the A1 (M) to Newcastle, with the option of using the A68 which links
Edinburgh and Darlington to reach the central part of Hadrian's Wall. The
A69 between Newcastle & Carlisle runs parallel to the Wall (approx 2-5
miles south) and is the main access route.
From
Newcastle Airport: Take
the Nexus Metro to Newcastle Monument station and on to
Whitley Bay : (approx 1 hour).
Start
of your walk: take the Metro from Whitley Bay
to Wallsend
(15 mins) or
further into town if you
want to miss out the first
few miles (All not included).
At
the end of your walk: Carlisle is
straightforward to exit from and get onto mainline rail services. From
Bowness on Solway, there are a few bus connections back to Carlisle, but
it is easiest to take a taxi.
Inward
journey to London at end of tour: from Carlisle.
Your Accommodation
Please
note that with all our night stops we aim to reserve rooms with ensuite
facilities. In some circumstances ensuite rooms may not be available at
the time of booking. Below we list our normal stops along the route, note
that room numbers in the different locations are limited and so we may
have to find alternatives on some occasions.
q
Night 1: At
Whitley Bay our
family run 4-crown hotel is in the ideal position - overlooking the
beautiful Whitley Bay golden sands.
q
Night 2: In
Wylam we stay in another nice Victorian country house which has
been noted by English Heritage. The rooms are large and ensuite. It has
been described by some clients as a home from home.
q
Night 3: At HumsHaugh, our guesthouse located
only half a mile from the wall and Chollerford. It is a welcoming working
farm which offers magnificent views of Northumberland.
q
Night 4:
Near to Housesteads we stay at a farm B&B situated
about half a mile north of Hadrian's Wall within Northumberland's
beautiful National Park. Magnificently situated, the wall can be seen from
the farm. It is in the middle of all the most important sites (Housesteads,
Vindolanda, Great Chesters and the Roman Army Museum at Carvoran are all
within 4 miles, via beautiful scenic walks if you have the time or you
have an extra day).
q
Night 5: At Lannercost we are about half a
mile off the route, but in a beautiful little village, in a nice Inn which
is near to the ruined abbey and attractive river. The place is quiet and
rooms are well appointed having been praised by previous walkers.
q
Nights 6 & 7: Our Final two nights are
spent in Carlisle at a small hotel Situated in a solid Victorian
terrace. It has its foundations literally on Hadrian’s Wall. All rooms
have hot drinks tray, hair dryer, remote controlled TVs, radio alarms and
direct dial telephone with lap top point. There is also a Bistro
restaurant open everyday except Sundays.
PLEASE
NOTE: It is generally normal practice when staying in hotels that you
check-in on or after 2pm and checkout by 10am the following morning.
Guesthouses/bed & breakfast establishments are normally check-in on or
after 4pm and checkout by 10am. |
Outline
Itinerary
q
Day
1 Whitley Bay: Travel to Newcastle and then onto Whitley Bay. If you
have time you will be able to take the Metro back into the city to have
a look round this vibrant “Toon.”
q
Day
2 Whitley Bay to Wylam / Heddon on the Wall 15 Miles (24km):
Today you take the short train (metro) from Whitley Bay to
Wallsend and the start of the walk (15 mins, not included). If
you have time before setting off on your days walk take a close look at
the remains of the Roman fort of Segedunum which marks the beginning of
the route today. This is a multi award-winning site, with
reconstructions of a Roman Bath House and an excellent interactive
museum. From the Tourist information in Wallsend, by the Swan Hunter
Ship Yard, the trail heads out following the walls of the ancient Roman
fort of Segedunum. Take the old Tyne to Blyth railway line (now a
footpath) through to Walker where you join the River Tyne at the
Riverside Park and pass Byker. You come into the riverside area of
downtown Newcastle upon Tyne with vistas of the elegant Tyne Bridges and
of the Newcastle skyline including St. Nicholas Cathedral. There should
be time to climb up to Newcastle Keep. Walk out of the city along side
the river. There is plenty of evidence of present and former industrial
activity. As you get to the old village of Newburn, the countryside
really begins to open up at last. You are now in the county of
Northumberland. Just before you would cross the River Tyne for Heddon On
the Wall, on the trail, we
turn off for Wylam and our overnight stop at the end of this flattish
day.
q
Day
3 Wylam to HumsHaugh 16.5 miles:
After crossing over the River Tyne, you have your first steep ascent up
to Heddon on the Wall, where there are some wall remains. To
beyond Chollerford now, the National Trail follows beside the roads that
have been built over part of the wall. The wall became itself a source
of material for the foundations of General Wade’s military road, the
trail though often follows along the Vallum, the ancient ditch line
created as a defensive feature when the wall was built.
Look out for remains of Vindobala fort and the reservoirs around
Welton. There is a pub at East Wallhouses after about 6 miles. A slight
deviation to Halton after 9 miles might be in order to admire the old
keep.
q
Day
4: Humshaugh to Housesteads (Once brewed) 12 miles (19.3 km) the
route follows beside the road as far as Fozy Moss, where the road
veers off the wall as it reaches the crags of the Whin Sill Escarpment.
Our stage roller coasters to Housesteads, with its famed fort and
National Trust Museum. There are excellent views over the “Northward
Tynescape” to the Bellingham and Simonside Hills. Now follows arguably
the most scenic section of the trip; over Highshield crags and then down
via Peel Crags to the National Park car park at Steel Rigg. From here
you can walk out to accommodation at Once Brewed.
The
wall climbs to its highest point over Windshields Crags, before
descending to the delightfully named Bogle hole. Then downsteps through
Thorny Doors and up Cawfields Crags with excellent views onto the
Pennines. The way passes by Great Chesters and Magnis (Roman forts),
passing Greenhead, the ruin of mediaeval Thirlwall castle and in another
mile or so crosses the Cumbria / Northumberland border on the River
Irthing at Gilsand. There are Interesting Roman defences to visit at
Birdoswald, and eventually after a trek to Banks you will find a shop /
Post office. You turn off
here for the last mile or so to the little hamlet of Lannercost and our
country Inn.
q
Day
6: Lannercost to Carlisle 13 miles
The route continues undulating across country,
reaching the little village of Walton, where a pint might
be in order. After crossing the very attractive Cam beck, you
briefly join the road at Newtown Village near the green before skipping
across the fields. Here you are following the wall line via Old wall,
Blea head and Wall head farms, before detouring on a little “sandy
Lane” that takes you down to The Stanegate, the old Roman road that
leads into Crosby on Eden and the river Eden. Now you will be riverside
walking for about a mile. At Linstock there is a Mediaeval
Pele, Peel Tower that rang in times of danger so that the locals
could congregate within its
fortifications. Next we come to Rickerby which has,
in contrast, a Victorian
folly tower. Finally we cross the River Eden, wind round the
river meander towards Stanwix, then up into Carlisle - a very
interesting historical city, with a castle started by Henry I, extensive
wall and other Roman remains and then there is the Cathedral. The town
has changed hands several times between Scotland and England and this is
reflected in parts of the town’s structure.
Carlisle
is quite a bit smaller than Newcastle. A lot of the buildings such as the
castle and the Old Town Hall are made of fine red sandstone. Beer fans
will not want to miss out a couple of drams, as this is the centre for
the Theakstone’s Brewery. Visit the Tullie House Museum for a fine
collection of Roman remains. The inner city has been pedestrianised
making exploration enjoyable around the market square.
q
Day
7: Carlisle to Bowness on Solway 15 miles. As
you have
a
second night in your hotel in Carlisle, the final walk today can be done
in either direction. Most efficiently take a scheduled bus
(at own expense) at around 09:00 to Bowness On Solway and walk
back to Carlisle, or just check the timetables and walk to Bowness and
then bus or taxi back. The walk itself from
Carlisle follows the at first the Southern side of the River Eden. The
trail follows the Eden once again, more or less parallel with the line
of the Wall and Vallum, through Grinsdale and Beaumont where you at last
veer away from the Eden. You get good views from just north of the
village to the peaks of Skiddaw and High Pike to the south and across
the Solway Firth to the West. Through Burgh by Sands, a short detour
takes you to the point on the marsh where Edward I died in 1307. In the
vicinity of Dykesfield House, the trail joins an old railway embankment
for a couple of miles before rejoining the line of “The Wall” near
Glasson. From here the route follows the minor road to Bowness on Solway,
the site of the Roman fort of Maia and journey’s end.
q
Day
8: Depart Carlisle After
breakfast.
Included
Bed
and breakfast with ensuite facilities where available. Luggage transfers from Inn to Inn. Full route book and map
package including notes on finding your accommodation each night.
Extend your Stay
Extra
nights:
Housesteads/Once
Brewed. From £30 per person per night.
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