Souter Lighthouse and The Leas sit side by side on the windswept Tyne and Wear coast near Whitburn, combining a pioneering Victorian lighthouse with sweeping clifftop meadows that are rich in wildlife, coastal history and breathtaking North Sea views.
United Kingdom: Northumbria – Hadrian’s Wall
🏛️ Romans, Ruins and a Ride — Hadrian’s Wall on Two Wheels
We had entirely planned to stop and visit some of the sites along Hadrian’s Wall when we set out that morning from Wallhouses, heading west towards Haltwhistle on our Coast to Coast ride. Military Road runs pretty much parallel to the Wall for much of its length, which makes it both a convenient and a rather atmospheric way to travel. It’s a straight, no-nonsense road — the B6318 to give it its proper name — built in the 1750s after the Battle of Culloden, when General Wade needed a fast route to move troops north. The Romans would have approved of the thinking, even if they’d have had something to say about the 1,800-year wait. The sun was out, the Northumberland countryside was looking its considerable best, and we weren’t going to cycle past two thousand years of history without stopping, were we?
🧱 A Wall Worth Building (and Visiting)
Hadrian’s Wall is one of those things that sounds impressive on paper — 73 miles of Roman frontier, built on the orders of Emperor Hadrian from around AD 122 — but it’s only when you’re actually standing next to it that it properly lands. This wasn’t just a fence. It was a statement. Rome’s northernmost border, garrisoned by thousands of soldiers, studded with milecastles every Roman mile and larger forts every few miles along its length. It took around six years to build and, at its peak, was up to 15 feet high and 10 feet wide, running coast to coast from Wallsend on the River Tyne all the way to Bowness-on-Solway on the Irish Sea.
UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site in 1987, as part of the wider Frontiers of the Roman Empire, which also takes in the Antonine Wall in Scotland and the Upper German-Raetian Limes in Germany. That tells you something about its significance — this isn’t just a British treasure, it’s a European one. Much of the wall and its associated sites are managed by English Heritage, and you’d have to say they do a decent job of it.
🐴 Chesters Roman Fort — Cilurnum
Our first stop was Chesters Roman Fort, which sits just outside the village of Chollerford on the north bank of the River North Tyne. Its Roman name was Cilurnum, and it was built around AD 122 as an integral part of the original Wall construction, one of the larger forts placed roughly every five Roman miles along its length. The fort was built to a standard playing-card shape — the Romans were nothing if not methodical — covering around five and a half acres, with the Wall running through its northern edge.
Chesters was built to house a cavalry regiment, which made it rather more important than your average infantry posting. Over its history it was garrisoned by several units, most notably the Second Ala of Asturians, cavalrymen originally recruited from the Asturias region of what is now northern Spain. At its peak the fort would have held around 500 mounted soldiers, along with the considerable logistical operation required to keep that many horses fed and shod in a Northumberland winter. You do wonder what the recruitment pitch sounded like.
The bathhouse, down by the river, is the star of the show and one of the best-preserved Roman military bathhouses in the entire country. The Romans took bathing seriously — it wasn’t just about getting clean, it was a social occasion — and even on a remote frontier posting they weren’t going to do without. You can clearly make out the changing room, the cold room, the warm room and the hot room, all still standing to a reasonable height. The engineering is impressive too; the hypocaust system of underfloor heating, with its rows of small pillar stones still visible, kept the hot rooms warm by channelling air from a furnace beneath the floor. Standing there on a warm afternoon it all felt rather civilised. In January, perhaps less so.
The site also has a museum that is really worth an hour of your time. It was put together largely through the efforts of John Clayton, a Newcastle town clerk and enthusiastic antiquarian who, from the 1830s onwards, spent considerable personal funds buying up stretches of the Wall and the land around it specifically to protect them from being quarried for building stone. This was not an idle concern — vast sections of the Wall had already been robbed out by local farmers and builders over the centuries, and without Clayton’s intervention a great deal more would have gone the same way. He also funded excavations and collected Roman artefacts from sites all along the Wall, many of which ended up at Chesters. The collection is a wonderful jumble of altars, inscribed stones, sculptures and everyday objects, displayed in a Victorian museum building that has a pleasingly old-fashioned charm to it. It hasn’t been over-curated, which we rather liked.
🏰 Housesteads Roman Fort — Vercovicium
By the time we reached Housesteads that afternoon, the sun was still with us, which was fortunate because Housesteads really does deserve to be seen in good light. Vercovicium to the Romans — the name is thought to mean something along the lines of “the place of the good fighters,” which suggests its garrison had a decent opinion of themselves — it is quite simply the most complete Roman fort in Britain, and arguably one of the finest Roman military sites anywhere in northern Europe.
Like Chesters, it was built around AD 122, but the similarities end there. Where Chesters sits in a green river valley, Housesteads occupies a dramatic position on top of the Whin Sill, a natural ridge of hard dolerite rock that juts across Northumberland and which the Romans were canny enough to use as the foundation for the Wall along this central section. The views from the fort are extraordinary — north across open moorland towards Scotland, south over the Northumberland valleys. On a clear afternoon you can see for miles in every direction, which was of course rather the point.
The fort covered around five acres and at its height housed around 800 infantry soldiers, most famously the First Cohort of Tungrians, recruited from the area around modern-day Belgium, and later the First Cohort of Hamian Archers, who came originally from Syria. The idea of Syrian archers standing on a Northumberland hillside shooting at Caledonian raiders is one of those details that makes Roman history endlessly fascinating.
What makes Housesteads so special is the sheer amount you can see. The headquarters building, the commanding officer’s house, the granaries with their raised floors designed to keep grain dry and free from vermin, the hospital — all of it is laid out and largely intact to foundation level, giving you a real sense of how the fort functioned as a working community. The barracks blocks, where the soldiers lived eight to a room with their section commander in a slightly larger end room, run in neat rows and you can pace them out and get a proper feel for how cramped and communal daily life must have been.
The latrines are, inevitably, where most visitors spend a cheerful few minutes. Situated in the south-east corner of the fort, they were a communal affair — a long stone bench with the requisite holes, positioned over a channel of running water that flushed waste away continuously. Romans had no concept of privacy in this regard and apparently thought nothing of conducting conversations while going about their business. There was a channel of clean water at the front for the sponge-on-a-stick that served as the Roman equivalent of toilet paper. We shall leave that detail there.
English Heritage manages the site, and the steep climb up from the car park — it’s a proper hike — is worth every step. If you only stop at one fort along the Wall, make it this one.
🌳 Sycamore Gap — A Note
We didn’t make it to Sycamore Gap, which is perhaps just as well. The famous lone sycamore tree that sat in the dramatic dip in the Wall between Housesteads and Steel Rigg — made famous by the 1991 Kevin Costner film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves — was felled in an act of deliberate vandalism in September 2023. The tree had stood there for roughly 200 years and was voted Tree of the Year in 2016. It was, by any measure, an iconic sight.
The stump is still there and, remarkably, both the stump and a severed branch have since shown signs of regeneration. Northumberland National Park Authority and English Heritage have been carefully tending what remains. A young man was convicted of the felling in 2024. The wall itself at that point was also damaged in the process, which added an element of particular stupidity to the whole affair. We’ll aim to visit when the tree is more fully recovered, which the experts seem cautiously hopeful about.
That afternoon riding into Haltwhistle, warm sun on our backs and two thousand years of history on either side of the road, was one of those days that reminds you why you do a trip like this. The Romans built their wall to keep people out. We were very glad to be let in.
Planning Your Visit to Chesters and Housesteads
🏛️ Chesters Roman Fort (Cilurnum)
| 📍 Location | Chollerford, Hexham, Northumberland, NE46 4EU | 🕖 Opening Times | Daily, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Apr–Oct); 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Nov–Mar) |
| 🌐 Website | english-heritage.org.uk | ||
| 📞 Phone | 01434 681379 | customers@english-heritage.org.uk | |
| 🅿️ Parking | Free on-site parking available | ℹ️ Notes | English Heritage members free. Museum on site housing Roman artefacts. Dogs welcome on leads in grounds. |
| 🎟️ Entry | Adults £9.90 / Concessions £8.90 / Children (5–17) £5.90 / Under 5s Free |
🚗 Getting There
Chesters Roman Fort lies just north of Chollerford village on the B6318, approximately 4 miles north of Hexham. By car, follow the B6318 Military Road from Hexham. The AD122 Hadrian’s Wall bus service runs seasonally between Hexham and Haltwhistle, stopping near the site. Hexham is the nearest train station on the Tyne Valley line, around 4 miles away, with taxis available.
🏛️ Housesteads Roman Fort (Vercovicium)
| 📍 Location | Haydon Bridge, Hexham, Northumberland, NE47 6NN | 🕖 Opening Times | Daily, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Apr–Oct); 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Nov–Mar) |
| 🌐 Website | english-heritage.org.uk | ||
| 📞 Phone | 01434 344363 | customers@english-heritage.org.uk | |
| 🅿️ Parking | National Trust car park at Housesteads (charge applies for non-members) | ℹ️ Notes | Jointly managed by English Heritage and National Trust. Steep 0.5 mile uphill walk from car park to fort. No vehicular access to the fort itself. Dogs welcome on leads. |
| 🎟️ Entry | Adults £9.90 / Concessions £8.90 / Children (5–17) £5.90 / Under 5s Free |
🚗 Getting There
Housesteads sits on the B6318 Military Road, roughly 3 miles north-east of Twice Brewed and about 9 miles north of Hexham. By car, follow the B6318 east from the Once Brewed visitor centre. The seasonal AD122 Hadrian’s Wall bus links the site to Hexham and Haltwhistle, both of which have stations on the Tyne Valley line. Be prepared for a steep uphill walk of around half a mile from the car park to the fort entrance.
The Best Time to Visit Northeast England
Northeast England is a region of dramatic contrasts — wind-swept coastlines, brooding moorland, medieval cities, and industrial heritage. The region’s weather is shaped by its northerly latitude and proximity to both the North Sea and the Pennines, making it cooler and breezier than much of England year-round. Each season brings a distinct experience, and the right time to visit depends entirely on what you are hoping to discover.
🌸 Spring (March to May)
Spring arrives gradually in the Northeast, with March often still feeling wintry before April and May bring brighter days and a gentle warmth. The landscape transforms as the moors turn vivid green, wildflowers bloom along the coastal paths, and gardens such as Alnwick Garden come into spectacular colour. Temperatures climb slowly from around 7°C to 13°C, and while showers are frequent, they are interspersed with crisp, sunny intervals that make walking conditions particularly rewarding.
Spring is an excellent time for exploring the Northumberland Coast, visiting Hadrian’s Wall before the summer rush, and enjoying Durham Cathedral and Newcastle’s cultural quarter without fighting peak-season crowds. Easter weekend can be busy and accommodation prices may spike briefly, but for the most part spring remains an underrated and reasonably priced season to visit. The longer daylight hours from late April onwards allow for fuller days of exploration.
What to pack: Waterproof jacket, layering base and mid-layers, walking boots with ankle support, lightweight scarf, packable umbrella, sunscreen for brighter days, and a small daypack.
☀️ Summer (June to August)
Summer is the most popular season for visiting the Northeast, and deservedly so. Temperatures typically reach between 14°C and 20°C, and the region enjoys some of its longest and brightest days. The Northumberland coastline — consistently voted among England’s finest — comes into its own, with beaches such as Bamburgh, Seahouses, and Druridge Bay offering golden sands and clear waters that can feel surprisingly refreshing. Lindisfarne (Holy Island) is best visited in summer when causeways and tides allow more flexible access.
Newcastle and Gateshead host an array of festivals, outdoor events, and al fresco dining throughout the summer months. The city’s Quayside buzzes with life, and the cultural programme expands considerably. Hadrian’s Wall and the Northumberland National Park attract walkers, cyclists, and families in earnest. The trade-off is higher accommodation prices and busier roads, particularly in August. Rain is always possible — this remains northern England — but summer offers the best sustained chance of fine weather.
What to pack: Light layers including a fleece or jumper, waterproof outer layer, comfortable walking shoes or trainers, sun hat and sunscreen, sunglasses, one smart outfit for evenings out in Newcastle, and a reusable water bottle.
🍂 Autumn (September to November)
Autumn is arguably the Northeast’s most atmospheric season. September can feel like a continuation of summer with warmth lingering into early October, before temperatures drop to a range of 8°C to 14°C and the landscape shifts into its palette of amber, copper, and rust. The moors and dales look magnificent, and riverside walks through areas such as Weardale, Teesdale, and Kielder Forest become something close to spectacular.
Crowds thin noticeably after the school holidays end in early September, making this an ideal time for those seeking solitude along the coast or on Hadrian’s Wall. Accommodation is generally better value, and the region’s many historic towns — Alnwick, Hexham, Berwick-upon-Tweed — feel less frenetic. Rain becomes more consistent as the season progresses, and evenings draw in sharply by October. November can be raw and grey, but it also offers a certain stark beauty on the open moorland and coast.
What to pack: Warm waterproof jacket, thermal base layers, sturdy waterproof walking boots, hat and gloves for evenings, a mid-weight fleece, quick-dry trousers, and a headtorch for late-afternoon walks.
❄️ Winter (December to February)
Winter in the Northeast is not for the faint-hearted, but it rewards those who embrace it. Temperatures sit between 2°C and 7°C, with frosts common and occasional snowfall on higher ground, particularly across the Pennines and the moors. The coast can feel wild and elemental, with dramatic skies and crashing seas that make for memorable walking if you are well prepared. Northumberland is one of England’s darkest regions, making it one of the best places in the country for stargazing — Kielder Observatory offers some extraordinary winter evenings under clear skies.
Newcastle transforms during the Christmas period, with festive markets, ice rinks, and a lively social scene. Durham’s cathedral and castle are especially striking against winter skies, and many heritage sites and museums welcome visitors throughout the season. Indoor attractions — the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, the Sage Gateshead, the Laing Art Gallery — come into their own when the weather turns. Accommodation prices are low outside of the Christmas and New Year period, making winter excellent value.
What to pack: Heavy waterproof and windproof outer layer, thermal underlayers, insulated mid-layer, warm hat, gloves and scarf, waterproof ankle or knee boots with grip, thick socks, and a flask for hot drinks on outdoor excursions.
📊 Season at a Glance
🏆 Overall Best Time to Visit
For most visitors, late spring and early summer — roughly May to July — represent the sweet spot for visiting Northeast England. The weather offers its best combination of warmth, brightness, and manageable rainfall, the days are long, wildflowers are in bloom, and the coastline is glorious without being overrun. Those who are happy to pack an extra layer and accept the possibility of rain will find that September and early October run this period extremely close, offering remarkable autumn colour, far fewer crowds, and often very agreeable walking conditions. Ultimately, Northeast England is a destination that reveals something remarkable in every season — the decision is less about when to go and more about what kind of experience you are looking for.
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