Hadrian’s Wall Path: Summary and Reflections

This post is about our walk along Hadrian’s Wall Path. It might be helpful if you are planning a similar trip. Janet and I walked the path westerly over eight days in September 2024 using Macs Adventures to define the itinerary and make the bookings. Below is a summary of the walking. There is a description of each day in individual posts. This earlier post provided an introduction to Hadrian’s Wall Path and our plan. A reflection with suggestions follows the table below.

Summary

Date	Route Walked	Miles	Feet Climbed	Day’s Steps	Other Activities	Dinner	Stay
Wednesday 4 Sept	Wallsend to Newcastle (Hotel Indigo)	6.9	335	25,118	Breakfast at Greggs. Train to Wallsend. Visit Segedunum museum. Geocaching.	Blackfriars*	Hotel Indigo
Thursday 5 Sept	Newcastle (Hotel Indigo) to Wylam via Heddon-on-the-Wall	14.1	850	35,747	Sit-down refreshments at Hedley’s Riverside Coffee Shop in Tyne Riverside Country Park. Snack from Heddon’s Shell/SPAR.	Bistro En Glaze*	Wormauld B&B*
Friday 6 Sept	Heddon-on-the-Wall to Humshaugh	16.4	1,368	35,771	Lift from B&B owner back to Heddon. Snack at Robin Hood Inn. Sit-down drink at the George Hotel.	Crown Inn*	Linden House B&B*
Saturday 7 Sept	Humshaugh to Twice Brewed	13.4	1,982	30,672	Shop at Humshaugh Village Shop, geocaching, explore Temple of Mithras and Sycamore Gap.	Twice Brewed Inn	Twice Brewed Inn
Sunday 8 Sept	Twice Brewed to Blenkinsopp Castle	9.7	1,276	21,910	Geocaching. Transfer from Blenkinsopp Castle to Centre of Britain. Explore Haltwhistle.	Centre of Britain*	Centre of Britain*
Monday 9 Sept	Greenhead to Brampton via Quarry Beck path	12.6	1,181	28,185	Sit-down refreshments at Birdoswald Fort and at Lanercost Priory.	Chinese Takeaway from Lucky House	Scotch Arms Mews*
Tuesday 10 Sept	Brampton to Carlisle via city centre	11.5	446	26,022	Rest at Linstock House honesty stop. Sit-down refreshments at Adeline’s Tea Room.	Langleigh Guest House*	Langleigh Guest House*
Wednesday 11 Sept	Carlisle to Bowness-on-Solway	16.7	653	36,936	Visit St Michael’s Church in Burgh by Sands and Solway Methodist Church in Port Carlisle.	The Kings Arms Inn*	Bowness House Farm
	Totals	101.3	8,091	240,361
	Averages for 8 days	14.5	1,156	34,337

Reflections

Variations to the Macs Itinerary.
1. We chose to arrive in Newcastle a day early to allow us to explore the city a bit and to split the Macs suggested first day of hiking, from Wallsend to Heddon on the Wall, into two days, to allow us to get our trail legs. I recommend this.
2. We did not go to Tyneside. We felt we did not have the time. Also, as we had previously done the coast-to-coast, we did not need to do that again. It would have been fun to have included Tyneside if we had had time and energy.
3. We had a spare 1-2 hours in Bowness-on-Solway at the end of the walk and it is worth exploring the old railway embankment and the beach.
4. If you can choose dates, you might want to assess which days of the week you are in the middle of the walk which is most popular. Everywhere will be busier at weekends, but in particular the wall museums, which brings crowds but potentially more activities.

Cautions.
1. Be careful about expecting to get too much in during a day. We walked between 2 and 2.5 miles per hour, not including stops. This leaves little spare time when walking 16 miles, even if there is energy. Also, your plan will be less than reality if you get lost or wander off trail for a bit. As the summary above shows, we did not visit many museums or other sites along the trail, though perhaps others are able to fit more in.
2. Be cautious about getting to accommodation that is off trail. The route will be less well signposted, and it might involve crossing or walking along busy roads. The route might not be very well described in the agency packet or you might need a taxi, but it’s unclear about how to arrange one. I recommend reaching out to each B&B before you travel and ask them as they have the local knowledge, and most likely the vast majority of their customers are walkers doing Hadrian’s Wall.

Bag Size and Weight.
1. You will be aware of the weight limit placed by Macs (Hadrian’s Haul). However, I suggest striving for much less than this weight. You have to carry your bag upstairs at the B&Bs after a long day’s walk. Also, you will be surprised at how few clothes you need. You unpack and pack every day, and it is a lot easier with less. I used packing cubes for the first time this trip and loved them for keeping me organized.
2. Have a suitcase large enough that you can fit everything in it with spare room for souvenirs. You might plan to carry certain items in your daypack, but plans change, and you might want all of it in your suitcase. I brought a small hiking umbrella but did not realize until it was too late that it did not fit in my suitcase.

Footwear / Hiking Poles.
In Facebook groups that discuss hiking long distance paths, there seems to be questions about footwear and hiking poles every day. There is rarely a correct answer and personal preference drives this. Janet hiked in lightweight hiking boots whereas I hiked in Hoka Speedgoat trail runners. I tried some Sealskinz waterproof socks for the first time which were a pleasant upgrade but not essential. I always used hiking poles. Janet found she did not need them most of the time so left them in her suitcase and borrowed one of mine when needed, generally to help with a steep downhill or a muddy patch. In future, we will probably share one pair of hiking poles, probably buying in-country because of the hassle of having to check them in on the planes. I also need to re-waterproof Janet’s boots, in a similar way to how I have used Nikwax for waterproof jackets, as some water leaked.

Phone and Wifi.
Janet used an Airalo eSim for data on her iPhone and ensured all of the other options for her AT&T plan were turned off to avoid triggering charges. She continued to text using iMessage. There was an issue activating the eSim but we got help from Airalo. I have a Mint Mobile plan and their international package is cost effective, so I had both data and my phone number active. We had signal for the vast majority of the walk. Everywhere that we stayed at had good wifi. Airalo or the Mint option were cheaper than AT&Ts’ daily international option and met our needs.

Lunches.
We bought one packed lunch from a B&B one time and another from a co-op. As we had found on a previous hike, the breakfasts were large and filling. We carried some snacks to eat during the day or made the most of cafes when available. We made the most of the ripe blackberries and enjoyed an apple that hung over the path. We were not hungry and enjoyed our dinners. Skipping the packed lunches worked for us, and we always had the option on the next day if we had found ourselves hungry. However, we drank less water than we should have.

Maps and Navigation.
To a large extent, how one navigates is a choice and depends on how “mappy” you are. However, as a minimum, I strongly suggest a GPS-enabled map of the path with which you can check your location. Not having this can lead to extra miles. This likely requires a backup battery for the device. The Macs app had a map included which is a good start. FarOut have a useful map of this trail which has additional useful information. AllTrails has options too. Whichever one you use, ensure you have downloaded the information for offline use, and have tested it by checking the map is available in airplane mode.
I used the OS Maps as this is the UK standard that I grew up with. Their detailed 1:25000 or 1:50000 topographical maps show the trail and other public footpaths. Before we left for the trip, I plotted each day’s plan from B&B to B&B so I had a good understanding of the route, distance, and undulations. This is most powerful for when you need to navigate to a B&B which is off trail. However, I recognize that this will be TOO much information for some.

Gratitude
A lot of work go from so many people go into making this a memorable walk. First, I think of those who initially championed creating this National Trail, followed by the volunteers who help maintain it. Second, the hospitality shown by B&B hosts, restaurants, and cafes is fantastic. I am in awe of the genuine welcome we received from so many B&Bs for people who are staying about 12 hours, and that they do this every day for about six months of the year. Third, the Hadrian’s Wall walk Facebook group is a valuable discussion with the perspectives of a wide variety of people.

How does it compare to other walks?
Each walk is different and has their own features, and each hiker has their personal reasons for walking. We have only done two other inn-to-inn adventures: the Coast to Coast in 2022 and the northern half of the Cotswold Way in 2023.
We completed the Coast to Coast in 18 days (including two rest days) in a group of six family and friends using an itinerary organized by Packhorse. For the 16 walking days, we averaged 12.1 miles and 2,850 ft ascent. Days on the Hadrian’s Wall were more miles but less up and down. Also, more of the B&Bs on Hadrian’s Wall were off-trail, which I know is a feature of the HWP due to its route but was probably exacerbated by our relatively late booking in April.
One frustration we found with the Coast to Coast was the lack of flexibility. In an attempt to add flexibility, Janet and I tried a different approach with the northern Cotswold Way by staying at one hotel in Cheltenham and finding a way to and from the trail each day using public transport or a taxi. This flexibility this added was outweighed by the removal of the satisfying sense of progress when you walk from B&B to B&B. The daily mileage on the north Cotswold Way (average of 11 miles with 1,242ft ascent) was less but it felt longer as there was the additional transport involved and less of the sense of achievement.
Perhaps the greatest difference between the walks is what the walks are about. Both the Cotswold Way and the Coast to Coast were defined to be the most scenic routes in their designated areas and Hadrian’s Wall Path follows the Roman Wall. The former paths pass through quaint towns, areas of interest, and viewpoints, with some history on the way. Hadrian’s Wall Path focuses on the historical route while also passing near quaint towns, areas of interest, and viewpoints. Another significant difference is the HWP passing through the large city of Newcastle. Carlisle has similarities to Richmond (on the C2C) and Bath (at the southern terminus of the Cotswold Way).
What is better? The walking and the fantastic atmosphere and scenery of the British countryside was similar in all three. One highlight on the C2C was the walking to/from a B&B each day, which became apparent when we used a single hotel in Cheltenham, and we went off-trail more on the HWP. It is very satisfying to complete the C2C though it is more than twice as long and the hills in the Lake District are challenging for the uninitiated.

Should you book through an agency?
In my post about our plan for the HWP, I mentioned that our plan is to book these trips directly with B&Bs in the future. Organizations like Macs book the accommodation and the luggage transport. Using such support depends on your budget, experience, and desire for independence. I see the following different levels of trekking adventure.
1. Independent hiking, either camping or staying in hostels / bunk houses. You need to find your own places to stay, your own route, and are without support. Such trekkers will likely either be (a) from the UK or (b) experienced in other countries.
2. Supported hiking, booking through an agency like Macs or Packhorse. The agency has built up a knowledge of the hike, which places to stay, and who transports luggage. They have learned which options for the hike work (i.e., number of days). Having got the hikers’ input regarding dates and preferences, they book what is best for the hikers based on availability. The agency provides a package which helps the hiker with the logistics. This option is great for people who are doing this type of adventure for the first or second time or are unfamiliar with the area. Also, it takes a lot of time to work out the reservations, so this is a good option for those who have less time to plan, or don’t like planning. One other aspect when booking in the US is that you work with a Macs representative in the US, which has both advantages and disadvantages.

What we look forward to doing in the future is a hybrid of the two above. We don’t wish to camp on these trails, yet we want to plan it ourselves. On the HWP, Macs did a fine job in booking the trip. However, at times we saw other accommodation that was closer to the trail, and we might have chosen if they had availability, though it might have involved sacrificing amenities like ensuite bathroom or breakfast or have been more expensive. Or we might have varied the length of other days, or even extended the trip by a day. The agencies add a significant markup to the cost, which they earn with the time they spend planning, but, for us, such planning is part of the fun and the knowledge gained enhances the trip.

We also see the potential of avoiding luggage transfer. I am confident we can reduce our packing lists to achieve manageable pack weights. This gives us the ultimate flexibility when planning as we will then be able to plan a trip wherever we want rather than just where there is a luggage transfer service. However, for many, using an agency with luggage transfer is the best fit. Perhaps after we have tried planning it all by ourselves, we will revert!

What Next?

The simple answer is more! In 2025, we already have booked a trip with friends on the southern Cotswold Way and expect to book a trip on the Thames Path with other friends soon. Perhaps we will tag on something in addition.

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This blog post is linked to from my Hadrian’s Wall Path page, where you can find the accounts of the other days in this adventure.

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