Hadrian's Wall Tours & Vacations

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Learn more about Intrepid’s COVID-19 policy

Make sure you bring plenty of comfy clothes, a daypack and a pair of hiking boots or walking shoes that have been worn in (this is important as you don’t want blisters early on in your trip!). You might also need a hiking stick as some sections of the crags (hills) are rocky and steep. It rains a lot in Northumberland, so you’ll need a warm, waterproof jacket no matter what time of year you visit. 

This walking trip is a point-to-point walking itinerary, and while it doesn't require a high level of fitness, it’s essential to be at least moderately fit if you want to partake in all activities. Some days of walking include undulating hill sections and uneven terrain, so you might want to consider bringing walking poles to help you. 

Hadrian's Cycleway is part of the National Cycle Network and covers a distance of 170 miles from Ravenglass in the Lake District (on the Cumbrian Coast) to South Shields by the North Sea. The route follows Hadrian's Wall and you'll be able to access many sections directly (or hop off and explore on foot), but you can see more by walking as the walking trail follows the wall and historical sites more closely. 

The recommendation from the folks at National Trails is to walk Hadrian's Wall between May and October as the weather is mild and the soil is drier which is better for reducing wear and tear on the trails. However, summer is also the busiest season so you'll be sharing the trails with more people. You can still visit in the cooler months, but just note that the weather is cold and wet (particularly in winter) and the days are very short, which isn't great for walking.

Learn more about the best time to walk Hadrian's Wall

The easiest place to start your Hadrian's Wall adventure is in Newcastle (in the east) or Carlisle (in the west) as these cities are well connected to the rest of the UK and Europe by road, train, bus and air. You can travel to Newcastle or Carlisle by train from London, Birmingham and Newport in the south, and Glasgow and Edinburgh in the north, or take a coach with Megabus or National Express to Newcastle and Carlisle from London, Manchester, Leeds and various other cities in the UK. Once you arrive in the Hadrian's Wall region, you can take the Tyne Valley Railway, 685 bus or AD122 bus to travel between the east and west of Hadrian's Wall.

Learn more about how to get to Hadrian's Wall

Intrepid is committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. That’s why we do our best to help as many people see the world as possible, regardless of any physical or mental limitations they might have. We’re always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them towards the most suitable itinerary for their needs and where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries. 

Learn more about Accessible Travel with Intrepid