Hadrian's Wall National Trail
With the official opening of the Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail on 23 May
2003, the public were afforded the opportunity to walk the full length of the
Wall for the first time in centuries. At a cost of £6.8 million and having
taken 8 years to come to fruition, the new 84 mile (135km) National Trail provides
a continuous path from the salt marshes of the Solway (Bowness-on-Solway) in
Cumbria, through the Northumberland National Park and down to the plains of
Tyneside (Wallsend on the river Tyne).
The project as a whole incorporated many tasks including the provision of 14 new steel bridges, 30 miles of new rights of way, scores of new stiles, gates and extra fencing and miles of new turf being laid in order to protect sites of potential archeological interest in the future. Some of the land had not been accessed for 2,000 years. Vistor centres dotted along the route have been updated too offering more information, better facilites and exhibitions.
You can even obtain your own, free Trail Passport and collect 6 stamps from various locations on the Wall to prove that you've walked the Trail. (Stamps available for collection between May and October each year). For information on how to get your 'Trail Passport' there's an information line - telephone 01434 322002. Other tourist information centres can also help or you can download it from the Trail's dedicated website: http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk.
Many of the sites along the Hadrian's Wall Trail can be reached by public transport
- Tyne Valley Line trains, the Hadrians Wall Bus (service AD122), the Tyne & Wear
Metro and scheduled bus services.
Hadrian's Wall
