Hadrian’s Wall Path, opened in 2003, was an immediate success with walkers from both the UK and abroad. The route follows the course of northern Europe’s largest surviving Roman monument, built on the orders of Emperor Hadrian between AD122 and AD128 to protect the northern extreme of the Roman Empire.

The path crosses the country coast to coast from Wallsend, near Newcastle, through the rolling border countryside of Northumberland, continuing on to the historic city of Carlisle and finally to the flat plains of the Solway Coast.

Hadrian’s Wall Path was the first National Trail to follow the course of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To ensure that the integrity of the Wall was in no way compromised, an archaeologist was on hand each time a signpost or waymark was driven into the ground. As a consequence, it took ten years to open the path to the public – four years more than it took the 2nd and 6th legions of the Roman Army to build the actual wall. However, anyone who has ever walked the trail will testify, it was well worth the wait.

The most dramatic section of the walk is in the centre, where the landscape is at its most impressive, and large stretches of the wall still remain. Here, you’ll also find some of the best-preserved fortresses. It’s easy to imagine how these windswept moors looked centuries ago, as the Wall, punctuated by forts, milecastles, and turrets, snaked its way through the undulating Northumberland countryside. This wilderness is bookended by the bustling City of Newcastle on the east, and on the west the breathtakingly beautiful plains at Bowness on Solway, an area of outstanding natural beauty and a haven for birdwatchers.

With the Romans long gone, the wall fell into disrepair, and much of the stone became the fabric of the churches, abbeys and priories you see today. The Wall’s legacy lives on in the names of the towns and villages along the route; Wallsend, Wallhouses, Walton and even Oldwall being just a few examples.

Despite a few undulating sections, the path itself is considered one of the easier national trails, a route where you can spend a week on well-trodden paths marvelling at the fascinating remains and the stunning scenery around you.