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Hadrian's Wall, Cumbria

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In 122AD the Emperor Hadrian ordered the building of a wall to mark the northern boundary of Roman Britain. It took six years to build and stretched seventy three miles from Wallsend in the east, to Bowness on Solway in the west, and parts of it still survive. The wall does not seem in practice to have been a place of conflict. Some historians suggest the wall was there mainly to allow control and the levy of tolls on traffic running north and south. It also served a symbolic function, helping to provide the Roman Empire with a sense of coherence and identity. The Roman Empire, in fact, reminds me of London. That city has spread far beyond the square mile of its walls, and there have been attempts to give coherence to its sprawling mass with plans for markers, or gateways that tell people they actually are in London. Hadrian's Wall did the same for the Roman Empire. The wall did not serve really to defend the Empire from external enemies, but to give it a greater sense of internal unity. Stand on the wall and look to the south. That's the direction it really worked in.

The Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail can be followed along the entire length of Hadrian's Wall, and will take about six days. Some of the terrain can be rough, so good walking boots are needed. Facilities along the route are good. See the link below for more details. There is also a bus service that follows the length of the wall, running daily from March to October in both directions between Carlisle and Hexham.

Directions: The National Trust owns six miles of the wall from Housesteads Fort to Cawfields Quarry. At Bardon Mill, Hexham, there are carparks, a museum and access to the wall. The site is six miles north east of Haltwhistle off the B6318. At Haltwhistle itself is the fort of Vindolanda, and the remains of a Roman inn. Click here for an interactive map cented on Hadrian's Wall near Haltwhistle. It is possible to follow the wall with the satellite view for some distance.

Access: the bus used for the Hadrian's Wall tour is wheelchair friendly. At the National Trust site at Bardon Mill there is ramped entry, adapted toilet facilities, and limited access to the wall. Ring ahead to arrange car parking at the museum itself.

Contact: for bus service, phone: 01434 322002. For National Trust phone: 01434 344363

For information on walking the Hadian's Wall Path National Trail contact: www.nationaltrail.co.uk/hadrianswall. For general information on Hadrian's Wall see www.hadrians-wall.org