hadrian's wall path

step into history & explore Hadrian's Wall at your own pace

The Hadrian’s Wall Path is an 84 mile (135 km) long National Trail stretching coast to coast across northern England, from Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne in the east to Bowness-on-Solway in Cumbria on the west coast.

The National Trail follows the line of the Hadrian’s Wall UNESCO World Heritage Site, passing through some of the most beautiful parts of England, from rolling fields and rugged borderlands to the vibrant cities of Newcastle and Carlisle,  with dozens of fascinating museums along the way. Anyone who is reasonably fit can walk the Hadrian’s Wall Path and the route is relatively easy. The 23-mile (37 km) section between Chollerford and Birdoswald is the most difficult, with lots of short climbs and descents.

The route is clearly marked and it’s worth considering whether you would rather walk the Path from east-to-west, in the direction the wall was originally built, or west-to-east, which is recommended for more favourable weather conditions. The Trail is fragile and can become muddy in wet weather so the best time to walk Hadrian’s Wall Path is between May and October. The Trail and Hadrian’s Wall are very popular in summer months, particularly in July and August.

The National Trail runs a passport season between May and October each year where walkers can use their Summer Passport to collect the seven stamps from stamping stations to prove that they have walked the Trail. Stamps can be collected in one go or collected over a period of time. There's an exclusive Completion Badge & Certificate when you've collected all seven stamps.

Circular walks and shorter trails have been devised to cater for all (or just how you feel on the day) and take in many of the great sites and sights along the way, details available from Tourist Information Centres.