A Wall to End Them All?
In the world of great walls, China has probably stolen most of the limelight over the last two thousand years.
However, the British have a cracker of their own.
Running between Wallsend near Newcastle to Bowness-on-Solway in Cumbria, Hadrian's Wall is a stone and turf fortification built by the Roman Empire across the width of the country.
It may not have the height of its Chinese counterpart, but if you take the time to follow the wall from coast to coast you're guaranteed to come away feeling that it boasts just as much charm.
That's certainly the view of UNESCO who declared it a world heritage site in 1987.
Debbie Lockhart of English Heritage agrees: "Hadrian's Wall is of great cultural significance in England, attracting huge numbers of tourists regionally, nationally and internationally.
"Children from the surrounding area grow up with it as part of their education and heritage, and as a World Heritage Site it is a symbol of great pride in the North of England.
Although Roman ruins feature across Britain, Hadrian's Wall is the most impressive Roman monument, with a great deal of its allure coming from the stunning scenery in which it is set.
" Many people reach the wall by following the A69 and B6318 roads which follow the course of the wall, however a better bet is to pull on your hiking books, drag the kids away from the Xbox the hike from coast to coast.
At 80 Roman miles in length (which translates to a blister-saving 73.
5 miles in modern measures) there's much more than just bricks to look at.
And, to make life easy, there's even an unbroken 84 mile signposted trail for walkers.
The trail, with links to many other short walks, is suitable for people of all ages with opportunities for less-abled access to many stretches of the Wall.
It is ideal for day visits, short breaks or a week-long holiday.
The Wall itself was built over the course of eight years following a visit by Roman emperor Hadrian in AD 122.
He wanted it to prevent military raids by the Pictish tribes of Scotland and to act as a physical end of the Roman frontier of the Empire.
East of River Irthing the wall was made from squared stone and measures 3m (9.
7ft) wide and five to six meters (16-20ft) tall.
However, it is the central section where the height really impresses.
Although slightly thinner at 2.
4m wide (7.
8 ft), some parts of this section survive to a height of 10 feet.
Naturally, the order in which you see the wall's attractions will depend on whether you're travelling west to east or east to west.
However, using Carlisle as a starting point, the first place to seek out is Birdoswald Roman Town.
Set in one of the most picturesque locations along Hadrian's Wall, Birdoswald comprises a Roman fort, turret and mile castle with dramatic views over the River Irthing.
Further to the east, near the village of Bardon Mill is Housesteads.
In a world where kids are more interested in Halo than Hadrian, you might think that it'll be a struggle to get them interested in a line of bricks, but Debbie Lockhart thinks this is the place to bring them for a truly interactive experience.
"A visit to Hadrian's Wall gives children the unique opportunity to imagine what life would have been like for soldier living and working on the Wall," says Debbie.
"At Housesteads they can explore a commandant's house, headquarters building, hospital and, most popular with children, the toilet block! A two mile walk along the Wall from Housesteads stands the very tree used in the opening scenes of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
For shorter legs, you can see it from the road as you drive west.
" Throughout the year, there are exciting events along this stretch of the wall, from Roaming Romans trails at Chesters Roman Fort to the Roman Festival at Corbridge Roman Town, all of which are perfect for fuelling children's imaginations and their interest in history.
Even if you miss the Roman Festival, Corbridge Roman Town (just off the A69 near Newcastle) remains worthy of a visit.
Here you can step back in time and explore a busy garrison town that played a vital role in every Roman campaign in northern Britain.
Millions have been spent extensively excavating remains to reveal a bustling ancient civilisation.
The attached museum holds a fascinating collection of Roman objects and you can even learn to play some of the games that the original soldiers enjoyed.
However, if hardy long distance walking is not quite your thing - then there are many more walks, well over 100, to help you explore all aspects of the World Heritage Site.
You can explore the city centres of Carlisle or Newcastle and Gateshead; discover the industrial heritage, historic sites, churches and castles.
In the countryside there are delightful walks that help you discover Northumberland National Park or further west find forts, ports and nature reserves.
Many of the shorter walks take in a pub or a tearoom so that you can break up your activity with a good lunch or delicious home-baked cake.
After all, even the Romans couldn't march on an empty stomach! For more information contact Richard Ryan
However, the British have a cracker of their own.
Running between Wallsend near Newcastle to Bowness-on-Solway in Cumbria, Hadrian's Wall is a stone and turf fortification built by the Roman Empire across the width of the country.
It may not have the height of its Chinese counterpart, but if you take the time to follow the wall from coast to coast you're guaranteed to come away feeling that it boasts just as much charm.
That's certainly the view of UNESCO who declared it a world heritage site in 1987.
Debbie Lockhart of English Heritage agrees: "Hadrian's Wall is of great cultural significance in England, attracting huge numbers of tourists regionally, nationally and internationally.
"Children from the surrounding area grow up with it as part of their education and heritage, and as a World Heritage Site it is a symbol of great pride in the North of England.
Although Roman ruins feature across Britain, Hadrian's Wall is the most impressive Roman monument, with a great deal of its allure coming from the stunning scenery in which it is set.
" Many people reach the wall by following the A69 and B6318 roads which follow the course of the wall, however a better bet is to pull on your hiking books, drag the kids away from the Xbox the hike from coast to coast.
At 80 Roman miles in length (which translates to a blister-saving 73.
5 miles in modern measures) there's much more than just bricks to look at.
And, to make life easy, there's even an unbroken 84 mile signposted trail for walkers.
The trail, with links to many other short walks, is suitable for people of all ages with opportunities for less-abled access to many stretches of the Wall.
It is ideal for day visits, short breaks or a week-long holiday.
The Wall itself was built over the course of eight years following a visit by Roman emperor Hadrian in AD 122.
He wanted it to prevent military raids by the Pictish tribes of Scotland and to act as a physical end of the Roman frontier of the Empire.
East of River Irthing the wall was made from squared stone and measures 3m (9.
7ft) wide and five to six meters (16-20ft) tall.
However, it is the central section where the height really impresses.
Although slightly thinner at 2.
4m wide (7.
8 ft), some parts of this section survive to a height of 10 feet.
Naturally, the order in which you see the wall's attractions will depend on whether you're travelling west to east or east to west.
However, using Carlisle as a starting point, the first place to seek out is Birdoswald Roman Town.
Set in one of the most picturesque locations along Hadrian's Wall, Birdoswald comprises a Roman fort, turret and mile castle with dramatic views over the River Irthing.
Further to the east, near the village of Bardon Mill is Housesteads.
In a world where kids are more interested in Halo than Hadrian, you might think that it'll be a struggle to get them interested in a line of bricks, but Debbie Lockhart thinks this is the place to bring them for a truly interactive experience.
"A visit to Hadrian's Wall gives children the unique opportunity to imagine what life would have been like for soldier living and working on the Wall," says Debbie.
"At Housesteads they can explore a commandant's house, headquarters building, hospital and, most popular with children, the toilet block! A two mile walk along the Wall from Housesteads stands the very tree used in the opening scenes of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
For shorter legs, you can see it from the road as you drive west.
" Throughout the year, there are exciting events along this stretch of the wall, from Roaming Romans trails at Chesters Roman Fort to the Roman Festival at Corbridge Roman Town, all of which are perfect for fuelling children's imaginations and their interest in history.
Even if you miss the Roman Festival, Corbridge Roman Town (just off the A69 near Newcastle) remains worthy of a visit.
Here you can step back in time and explore a busy garrison town that played a vital role in every Roman campaign in northern Britain.
Millions have been spent extensively excavating remains to reveal a bustling ancient civilisation.
The attached museum holds a fascinating collection of Roman objects and you can even learn to play some of the games that the original soldiers enjoyed.
However, if hardy long distance walking is not quite your thing - then there are many more walks, well over 100, to help you explore all aspects of the World Heritage Site.
You can explore the city centres of Carlisle or Newcastle and Gateshead; discover the industrial heritage, historic sites, churches and castles.
In the countryside there are delightful walks that help you discover Northumberland National Park or further west find forts, ports and nature reserves.
Many of the shorter walks take in a pub or a tearoom so that you can break up your activity with a good lunch or delicious home-baked cake.
After all, even the Romans couldn't march on an empty stomach! For more information contact Richard Ryan
