Hadrian’s Wall Trail walking holiday, England

Planet

We believe that walking trips are the best way to experience a destination; because you have more time to appreciate the changing landscapes and get to know locals in the villages and towns that you pass through. Travelling on foot has minimal impact on your environment, but we encourage clients to stay on the marked trails to avoid erosion.

The Hadrians Wall Trail officially opened in May 2003 after many years of negotiations with landlords and farmers to finalize the exact route which stretches 83 statute miles/133 km across town and country, forest and moorland, World Heritage Site and National Park.

Hiking the trail is a low impact way to explore this ancient site, and the history around it. There are lots of educational sites to visit, where entrance fees will contribute to preserving the history. Some of those we recommend you visit if you have the time are the remains of the Roman fort of Segedunum which marks the beginning of the route today. This is a multi awardwinning site, with reconstructions of a Roman Bath House and an excellent interactive museum. Plus Housesteads, with its famed fort and National Trust Museum. And the interesting Roman defences at Birdoswald.

We are aligned with “Leave No Trace”, an international organisation that has set the global standard for outdoor ethics. Through targeted education, research and outreach, its mission is to ensure the long-term health of our natural world while maintaining sustainable recreation in nature

Our Waste Management Policy encourages our travellers to take their own reusable water bottles, coffee cups and reusable stuff sacks to avoid single-use plastics. We follow this same philosophy in our office as well as on the trail: in our London office we have banned single use coffee cups and water bottles. We use recycled paper in our office and we are working towards reducing the amount of paper we use, as well as recycling all of our paper and plastic waste.

People

Our preferred accommodations we use on this trip are locally owned and not part of big international hotel chains; this way we ensure your tourist spend is staying within the area and benefiting local people.

In the locally run B&Bs, guesthouses and hotels you will find a warm welcome, and through the local owners you will get to discover more about the area, and get useful insider tips. Our carefully selected properties serve local food in their restaurants including the Hadrian Hotel which serves breakfast using eggs, bacon, sausages and black pudding from North Acomb farm, just down the road from the property.

During the tour you will find craft shops, cafes and pubs to enjoy. We encourage you to visit these local establishments to experience culture and meet the locals. And by purchasing your souvenirs from the local craft shops will help support the village economy.

In 2000 we developed the award winning Responsible Travel Guidebook, which presented our Travel Group’s comprehensive policies on sustainable travel. Over the years our Responsible Travel Guidebook has evolved to meet the ever-changing landscape of sustainable travel. In March 2018 The Thoughtful Traveller booklet was launched, which is an easy-to-read document that empowers travellers with suggestions about how they can be part of the solution and collectively make the world a better place when they travel. Everyone is encouraged to read the Thoughtful Traveller ebook before departure.