Hadrian’s Wall – One of the Most Special Hikes You’ll Ever Embark On

Going on a hike is always a rewarding experience. Some of the very best hiking routes weren’t even originally made for hiking. A good example of this is the historically significant Hadrian’s Wall. We went on the hike ourselves and want to show you how to make the most of it.

What Is Hadrian’s Wall?

For those of you who are not familiar with it, Hadrian’s Wall was essentially the original Scottish-English border. While the current one is much further north, the wall that the old border once operated on still stands today. Amazingly, it stretches a remarkable 73 miles from Wallsend on the east coast to Bowness-on-Solway on the west, basically covering the entire neck of England.

Back in AD 122, the Romans under the reign of Emperor Hadrian, built the wall to protect Britannia from the aggressors in the north. Many forts and castles were built along the wall for strategic reasons. Many years have passed since the fall of the Roman Empire. And yet, the wall still stands. While it’s no longer used for military reasons, Hadrian’s Wall is now a popular tourist attraction in the north of England. But that’s not all. It’s also a popular hiking (and biking) route.

Our Hike Along Hadrian’s Wall

Truth be told, we didn’t hike the entirety of Hadrian’s Wall. However, we did cover a fair chunk of it. Our first step was to take a train from Carlisle to the small town of Haltwistle, which is officially the closest community to Hadrian’s Wall. 30 minutes later, we were there, and ready to start our hike.

Upon reaching the wall, we walked along it until we reached Vindolanda. This fort was under Roman occupation from 85 AD to 370 AD. Although they are no longer there, the famous Vindolanda tablets are currently on display at the British Museum in London. At the time of their discovery, they were the oldest handwritten documents in the country.

From there, we moved back to the wall and soon encountered Sycamore Gap. This stunning, picturesque tree, situated dramatically in a landscape dip was regarded as one of the most photographed trees in the country. We were sad to learn that the tree had been felled in 2023. But we’re just so grateful that we were able to see it in all its glory.

We concluded our hike with a pint of ale in Twice Brewed, an Inn waiting for hikers to stop for a well-earned break and refreshments.