Holiday Guide 2013 Frontiers of the Roman Empire visithadrianswall.co.uk inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2005 Contents The edge of the Roman Empire... 2 Roman Heritage in Hadrian’s Wall Country 4 Exploring on foot and bike 8 Discovering by Bus 10 Food and drink fit for an Emperor! 12 Planning your own invasion? 18 Accommodation rating schemes 28 Accommodation entries 31 Section One Tyneside to Hexham 32 Section Two Hexham to Brampton 40 Section Three Brampton to Ravenglass 56 Accommodation index 68 Friends of Hadrian’s Wall 70 Find out more 72 Hadrian’s Wall Country competition 73 Important note: You are strongly advised to double check prices, dates etc before making final arrangements. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or damage caused by reliance on information contained in this publication is hereby excluded to the fullest extent permitted by law. © Crown Copyright and database right 2013. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100024900. Photo credits: Roger Clegg, Graeme Peacock, Andrew Heptinstall, Cumbria Tourism, NewcastleGateshead Initiative, English Heritage and Cass Gilbert/Sustrans Front cover: Main image - Housestead Crags, Hadrian’s Wall Insets from left to right - Birdoswald, Lanercost and Hadrian’s Cycleway. This project is part financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas visithadrianswall.co.uk The edge of the Roman Empire... ….and the beginning of your thrilling Roman adventure. It was 2,000 turbulent years in the making but you can experience Britain’s greatest Roman monument (and a whole lot besides) in a single exciting break. And there’s so much more to Hadrian’s Wall Country than the Wall itself. This guide will help you plan your own (peaceful!) invasion. Changing political, social, economic and demographic forces in the Roman Empire from the 1st to 5th centuries AD led to the creation of this furthermost imperial frontier. Today you can immerse yourself in its dynamic story and the vital role it plays as part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage Site – the largest of its kind in the world and stretching across Europe to include the Antonine Wall in Scotland and The Limes in Germany. Hadrian’s Wall Country boasts spectacular coastline, stunning rolling countryside, vibrant cities and towns, charming villages and a wealth of Roman forts, museums and visitor attractions. Whether you’re looking to relax or want to bring your bicycles and walking boots, you’ll never be stuck for inspiration. By splitting this guide into three geographical sections we’ll show you clearly how to plan your trip and to follow in the footsteps of Emperor Hadrian himself. Read it in conjunction with our Hadrian’s Wall Country map and our packed website visithadrianswall.co.uk and you’ll get the whole picture - an overwall view! Corbridge Roman Site © Roger Clegg 2 3 Roman Heritage in Hadrian’s Wall Country Ravenglass Roman Bath House Birdoswald Roman Fort Never was an ancient army so clean! The bath Built in one of the most picturesque places in house walls here are the tallest surviving Cumbria, Birdoswald is where you can see the remains along the Frontier. longest continuous stretch of Hadrian’s Wall. Inside the visitor centre, discover more about the 1000+ soldiers who were once based here. Open: 29 Mar-30 Sep 10am-6pm daily; 1 Oct-3 Open: all year Nov 10am- 5pm daily; 4 Nov-16 Feb Sat-Sun Admission: FREE 10am-4pm; 17 Feb-21 Feb Mon-Fri 10am-4pm, W: english-heritage.org.uk/ravenglass 22 Feb-31 Mar Sat-Sun 10am-4pm Admission: adult £5.40, concessions £4.90, children £3.20, EH members and under 5s FREE T: +44 (0)16977 47485 Senhouse Roman Museum W: english-heritage.org.uk/birdoswald Unique collection from the adjacent Roman fort and the Solway coastal defences. Stunning views of the Solway Firth and Scottish coast. Roman Army Museum Open: Apr-Jun 10am-5pm daily except Mon & Wed; Jul-Oct 10am-5pm daily; Nov-Mar 10.30am- Real-life treasures from nearby Roman 4pm Fri, Sat, Sun; closed 25-26 Dec,1 Jan Vindolanda plus fantastic replicas. Watch the Admission: adult £3.00, children £1.00, Eagle’s Eye film for an inspiring, virtually family ticket £8.00 reconstructed 3D aerial view of Hadrian’s Wall. T: +44 (0)1900 816168 W: senhousemuseum.co.uk Open: 16 Feb-31 Mar 10am-5pm daily; 1 Apr-30 Sept 10am-6pm daily; 1-30 Oct 10am-5pm daily. Please contact for winter opening times. Tullie House Museum Admission: adult £5.25, concessions £4.50, & Art Gallery children £3.00, family £15.00 Joint ticket with Roman Vindolanda available The family friendly Roman Frontier Gallery T: +44 (0)16977 47485 W: vindolanda.com reveals the frontier story and the effect of Roman occupation on Britain. Other galleries explore Cumbrian history, archaeology, wildlife Northumberland National and art. Programme of changing exhibitions. Park Centre, Once Brewed Open: 1 Apr-31 Oct Mon-Sat 10am-5pm (Restaurant open 9.30am); Sun 11am-5pm; At the heart of Hadrian’s Wall Country, this 1 Nov-31 Mar, Mon-Sat 10am-5pm (Galleries close centre provides a warm welcome to all and 4pm, Restaurant open 9.30am); Sun 12 noon- includes interpretive displays the Emperor 5pm (Galleries close at 4pm) Hadrian himself would have found handy! Admission: charges apply Open: Apr-Oct 9.30am-5pm daily; winter 10am- T: +44 (0)1228 618718 3pm weekends only W: tulliehouse.co.uk Admission: FREE T: +44 (0)1434 344396 W: northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk 4 5 Roman Vindolanda Corbridge Roman Town Classic fort and civilian remains plus full-scale Lynchpin of all Roman campaigns, the replicas. Peek at images of ancient writing substantial remains give clues to life and tablets packed with personal details and watch dramas: the granaries, the stone lion and the live excavations from April to September. Stanegate road. Bring all this to life with an Open: 16 Feb-31 Mar 10am-5pm daily; 1 Apr-30 audio tour. Sept 10am-6pm daily; 1 Oct-31 Oct 10am-5pm Open: 29 Mar-30 Sep 10am-6pm daily; 1 Oct-3 daily. Please contact for winter opening times. Nov 10am-5pm daily; 4 Nov-16 Feb Sat-Sun Admission: adult £6.50, concessions £5.50, 10am-4pm; 17 Feb-21 Feb Mon-Fri 10am-4pm; children £4.00, family £19.00 Joint ticket with 22 Feb-30 Mar Sat-Sun 10am-4pm Roman Army Museum available Admission: adult £5.40, concessions £4.90, T: +44 (0)1434 344277 W: vindolanda.com children £3.20, EH members and under 5s FREE T: +44 (0)1434 632349 W: english-heritage.org.uk/corbridge Housesteads Roman Fort Housesteads is the most iconic of all the Wall The Great North Museum sites. The views and Roman remains are spectacular. Delve into the Fort’s story and see a The museum features a large-scale interactive stunning collection of artefacts. A CGI film flies model of Hadrian’s Wall and Europe’s only through time and reconstructs Housesteads virtual reconstruction of a Mithraic temple. before your very eyes. New visitor centre opens Open: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 1pm-5pm, closed in 2013. 25 and 26 Dec and 1 Jan Open: 29 Mar-30 Sep 10am-6pm daily; 1 Oct-3 Admission: FREE T: +44 (0)191 222 6765 Nov 10am-5pm daily; 4 Nov-16 Feb Sat-Sun W: greatnorthmuseum.org.uk 10am-4pm; 17 Feb-21 Feb Mon-Fri 10am-4pm; 22 Feb-30 Mar Sat-Sun 10am-4pm Admission: adult £6.20, concessions £5.60, Segedunum Roman Fort, children £3.70, EH,NT members and under 5s FREE Baths & Museum T: +44 (0)1434 344363 W: english-heritage.org.uk/housesteads, The Wall’s most-excavated fort is a must-see: nationaltrust.org.uk/hadrians-wall spectacular reconstructions (including the bath house and a section of Wall), original Wall, computer-generated history tour and a 35- metre high viewing tower. Chesters Roman Fort Open: From 1 Apr Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat and Sun 11am-4pm. Please check the website for Nestled in a beautiful riverside location, it’s not winter opening hours. hard to see why Chesters was a good spot for Admission: adults £3.95, concessions £2.95, the Romans to set up a base. The fort boasts 16 & under FREE T: +44 (0)191 236 9347 one of the best preserved Roman bathhouses W: segedunumromanfort.org.uk you can see in Britain today and the museum houses the excellent ‘Clayton Collection’ of Roman stonework and objects. Open: 29 Mar-30 Sep 10am-6pm daily; 1 Oct-3 Arbeia Roman Fort & Museum Nov 10am-5pm daily; 4 Nov-16 Feb Sat-Sun 10am-4pm; 17 Feb-21 Feb Mon-Fri 10am-4pm; 22 Stunning reconstructions show high, low and Feb-30 Mar Sat-Sun 10am-4pm middle-ranking military life, and hands-on Admission: adult £5.40, concessions £4.90, displays show how the ordinary soldier lived children £3.20, EH members and under 5s FREE (and died). T: +44 (0)1434 681379 Open: 1 Apr-30 Sep Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat W: english-heritage.org.uk/ 11am-4pm, Sun 2pm-5pm, 1 Oct-31 Mar closed chestersromanfort Admission: FREE T: +44 (0)191 456 1369 W:.arbeiaromanfort.org.uk 6 7 Exploring on foot and bike Hadrian’s Wall is an ancient monument. So it needs TLC and you can do your bit please, by… CODE • Not walking on the • Use public transport Wall itself • Support local businesses • Take your litter home • Consider circular walks • Follow signposted paths and Roman site visits • Walk side by side instead of the Trail • Keep gates closed • Avoid worn patches • Control your dog on the Trail Thank you.