Hadrian’s Wall Campsite

The 82 miles of Emperor Hadrian’s monumental, Pict-proof stone wall is Northumberland’s most famous landmark. Though its military barracks are in ruins, the historical structures remain impressively atmospheric. It’s easy to imagine how the soldiers must have felt, keeping watch at the very outpost of the civilised world. By day scanning a horizon of rolling hummocks and wind blown heathland, by night using the light of the moon in a sky that, to this day, remains one of the darkest spots in Europe. The wall is now a World Heritage Site, but you can still camp just a mile or so from one of the most complete and dramatic sections at Hadrian’s Wall Campsite.

The site is terraced on four levels, each commanding amazing views over open country side and to the wall itself. In the summer months, an extra ‘wild camping’ field is opened up, with oodles of space for large families and campfires by arrangement. Weary backpackers can also rejoice: there’s a strip dedicated entirely to your aching bones – no need to book, just stagger up on the day – with a handy cook house to help speed the post-walk meal along. The campsite is well located for rambles along Hadrian’s Wall Path, an 84-mile National Trail shadowing the line of the wall. Your hosts will even arrange transport to or from your start/finish points, leaving you free to enjoy your linear walk and the wall.