UK Walks - Northumberland

Hadrian's Wall is the Largest Structure the Romans Ever Made

Mar 29, 2008

Northumberland -Hadrian's Wall, Cathy Smith

This amazing wall stretches 73 miles from coast to coast, dividing England from Scotland - as the Romans intended. It is one of the most beautiful walks in the country.

UK Walks - Northumberland - Hadrian's Wall - Follow the Romans

Follow in the steps of the Roman Legions who built Hadrian’s Wall, England’s largest World Heritage Site. Created by the Roman Emperor Hadrian almost two thousand years ago, it wends its way across a landscape that probably hasn’t changed a lot since the Roman soldiers walked the wall, scouring the horizon for those pesky invaders, the Picts, who inhabited what is now known as Scotland. It was the largest structure that the Romans ever made.

UK Walks - Northumberland - Hadrian's Wall - Northern Boundry of Roman Empire

Hadrian visited the area in AD.122 and this is the year that work started on the Wall. It took about six years to complete and was built by Roman soldiers garnered from many parts of the vast Roman Empire - most of them hailing from warm climates. How they must have shivered as they walked from milestone to milestone on the top of the fifteen-feet high wall. The winter winds are cutting in this part of the country.

The Wall was built to mark the northern boundary of the Roman Empire. As there was no river nearby to act as a natural boundary, it was built across one of the narrowest parts of the country, winding through a dramatic setting that is still one of the least populated and unspoilt areas of England - a paradise for walkers and cyclists.

UK Walks - Northumberland - Hadrian's Wall - Vindolanda Fort

The Romans invaded Britain in AD.43 and left in AD.410, so they were here a very long time - close to four hundred years. In the 1970’s, archaeologists working on Hadrian's Wall discovered documents in the shape of ancient wooden tablets at the site of what once was Vindolanda, a garrison fort manned by regiments guarding the area as the Wall was being built. They are an amazing record of life in this outpost of the empire. There are grumbles about the weather, the shortage of beer and complaints about the locals who they nicknamed ‘Brittunculi - in other words, ‘wretched little Brits’.

Today, Vindolanda has been extensively excavated, along with other buildings. There’s an excellent museum in which, among other amazing finds, are some very well preserved Roman shoes. The museum is located beside one of the best preserved parts of the Wall.

UK Walks - Northumberland - Hadrian's Wall - Housteads best preserved fort

Housesteads is described as being the best preserved Roman fort in the country. It sits high on a ridge and allows fabulous views over miles of open moorland. It covers five acres and there are remains of granaries, barracks, a hospital and some ‘interesting’ latrines. If you are doing the Wall in bits, this is a great place to spend a little time as you can walk the Wall’s impressive ridge in both directions from the fort. There also are other sites along the way.

UK Walks - Northumberland - Hadrian's Wall - Take the bus

A fun way to explore Hadrian’s Wall is to take the Hadrian’s Wall bus. The number of the bus is AD122, get it? It stops at most of the major sites along the Wall and if you work out the timetables you can take many beautiful walks in the area. Or, if you want to do it as a true walker would, you will walk all the way from east to west. This takes a bit of planning re where to stop overnight along the way, but it’s perfectly straightforward, and a great way to literally walk in the steps of those long ago Roman soldiers.

Upcoming Events:

Hadrian: Empire and Conflict. July 24-Oct. 26, 2008. British Museum, London.
Live Excavations at Roman Vindolanda. March 23-September 13, 2008.