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Hadrian's Wall
ABOVE: Hadrian's Wall by
Houseteads Fort near Hexham, Northumberland. (Note: Walking on the wall is now discouraged
by preservationists.)
By
Durant Imboden
Hadrian's
Wall is one of the major attractions in Northern England. The surviving portions of the
ancient Roman stone wall run across the Border Country of Northern England from Carlisle
to Newcastle upon Tyne.
The wall was intended to protect occupied Britain from the unruly Picts,
who--in Rome's view, at least--preferred savagery to civilization. Work began under the
Emperor Hadrian in 122 A.D., and the 84-mile (135-km) wall was completed in just six
years.
Today, the best-preserved sections of Hadrian's Wall are in a 20-mile (30-km)
section between Hexham and Haltwhistle in Northumberland. You'll find walls, fortresses,
camps, and other ruins (some restored) along with museums and information centers.
Reaching the wall
Buses run from Carlisle and Newcastle to the main attractions and
visitor centers along the wall in summer, making it practical to combine public transport
with point-to-point walks.
Trains are another option. The scenic Tyne Valley Line connects
Carlisle, Brampton, Hexham, Haltwhistle, and Newcastle upon Tyne. In summer, you
can change to the Hadrian's Wall buses at the Haltwhistle and Hexham stations.
If you're driving, follow the B6318 "Military Road" along the
wall or head north from the A69 at Haltwhistle.
ABOVE: Hadrian's Wall and Swingshields Crag near Cuddy's
Crag.
History and tourist information
Hadrian's Wall
Country
Start your planning at the wall's official tourism site.
Visit Northumbria: Hadrian's Wall
The regional tourism site covers the basics and includes a page on
walking the wall.
Hadrian's
Wall, Extent of the Roman Empire
A highly readable illustrated article with photos, diagrams, and maps. From
aboutScotland.com.
Arbeia, South
Shields Roman
Fort
The Roman fort of Arbeia wasn't part of Hadrian's Wall, strictly speaking, but it was a
supply depot for the garrisons along the wall.
Hadrian's
Wall: History of the Roman Britain Wall
N.S. Gill's short article at ThoughtCo. describes the wall and the history behind
it.
Vindolanda
The Vindolanda Charitable Trust operates this site, which has visitors' information,
excavation news, etc. for the Vindolanda fort and settlement and the
Roman Army Museum.
Hillwalk Tours: Hadrian's Wall Path
This company offers
self-guided
walking itineraries (graded "gentle," "moderate," or "challenging") that include
accommodation, luggage transfer, and other services.
ABOVE: Wall-walking wears down
the stones, so walk alongside--not on top.
Hotels and other accommodations
Hotels near Hadrian's Wall & Housesteads Fort, Bardon Mill
These listings
are from our affiliate partner, Booking.com, which is the no. 1 hotel site in
Europe.
Photographs
Derry
Brabbs' Hadrian's Wall
These outstanding photos are from a book that was featured in The
Guardian.
About the author:
 Durant Imboden
is a professional travel writer, book author, and editor who focuses on European
cities and transportation.
After 4-1/2 years of covering European travel topics for About.com, Durant and
Cheryl Imboden co-founded Europe for Visitors in
2001. The
site has earned "Best of the Web" honors from Forbes and The
Washington Post.
For more information, see
About
Europe for Visitors,
press clippings, and
reader
testimonials.
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"Best
of the Web" - Washington Post
