Hadrian's wall

So I am sure there are better sites to ask this question, but I like UKY. If there is a better forum, moderators feel free to move the post...

My wife and are already thinking about summer. I know we have a lot more darkness to endure before we get there again. This summer was spent moving over and we did not get a nice holiday in. We were thinking of walking Hadrian's wall and using one of the companies that sets up the inns/BBs. Anyone done the walk (or a part of the walk)? Any recomendations?

We were going to do that last year, but the weather turned out to be not so nice, which made our procrastination seem very smart.

My friend who does a lot of walking says that because a lot of the wall is along the motorway it isn't as nice as some other long distance paths, but still interesting.

I did the West Highland Way a few years ago and it was amazing.  I had an organisation carrying my bags, but it was so easy to camp each night that there was no point in booking each night.  Of course, I hiked in the beginning of September so there were fewer crowds. 

I did a 3 day walk with Mickeldore Travel and it was fantastic!  It was 2006 but I think we started in Corbridge and did the best (most interesting) section of the trail.  The company did all the bookings, did luggage pickup so we only had a daypack, we got packed lunch, detailed maps and info.  No problem with road noise. 

I've not done Hadrian's Wall, but we walked the Dales Way & the Cumbrian Way - highly recommend both.  We used the Sherpa Van Project for both.  The first year (Dales Way) we had them do both our B&B bookings & luggage carriage.  The second year (Cumbrian Way), we did our own bookings & they did the luggage carriage - it was cheaper (no added fee for their booking our accommodations) plus we could do our first choice on everything (we booked well ahead - months ahead).  When they did it, if our first choice wasn't available, they just slotted us in a place without checking with us first - which we found less than ideal.  But for luggage service, they are great! 

When we go for it, we walk rain or shine.  The first year we like to drowned 4 out of the 8 days we walked - that was 2007, the week that Sheffield, Hull & Leeds got flooded.  The second year we fully expected rain in the Lake District & were more suitably geared up than the preceding year - ended up having perfect weather, except I buggered my knee pretty badly in a fall on the third day, then walked 60 more miles - which was a really bad idea in retrospect. 

We are tentatively planning to walk the Yorkshire Wolds Way next summer.

When bf and I took our holiday back in the Spring, Hadrian's Wall was on my list of must-sees.  (Classics major. ) 

We didn't hike along the wall trail itself, mainly because we didn't have time.  We stayed in Newcastle, and got an all-day train ticket out to the wall country.  We got off in a town called Haltwhistle and from there we caught the Hadrian's Wall bus.  It stops at several of the historical sites and other tourist accommodations along the wall route. 

I would definitely recommend stopping at the Vindolanda fort, and also at the Roman Army Museum.  Just wandering the grounds at Vindolanda took several hours and was enough to wear us out.

As far as finding B&B's, etc., they're thick on the ground out that way.  You shouldn't have any trouble.  There are a ton of websites for getting schedules, routes, lodging, etc.  If you haven't found them yet, just Google it.  Most had very good information.

Enjoy your trip, and watch out for sheep!

I wonder why I haven't done this? It's not far from here. We did drive up to it and had a look around, but that was just because we were passing by and I asked to stop. I love walking trips! Too bad DH doesn't. Maybe I should find a group to go with or something!

I wonder why I haven't done this? It's not far from here. We did drive up to it and had a look around, but that was just because we were passing by and I asked to stop. I love walking trips! Too bad DH doesn't. Maybe I should find a group to go with or something!

Yeah, join a group!

Hubby and I went up to Hadrian's Wall territory last spring.  We stayed at The Gun Inn in Ridsdale (near Otterburn), a typical old and homey Inn / B&B with very friendly owners.  It was relatively inexpensive and clean--food was OK.  We walked the most I ever walked in one day!  I love ancient history so I was excited to walk from one Roman fort to another mostly along the wall the entire way.  We walked from (I forget the name of the fort) one big fort to another--Vindalanda.  There was a little museum at Vindalanda--very interesting.  The area is gorgeous--more sheep than people and some villages are just one tiny street, definitely out there in some real rural beauty.

I have been doing some more reading and thinking and getting pretty excited. A couple of days of walking 10 or so miles with beautiful scenery and history and finally ending up at a cozy inn sounds like the perfect vacation to me.