Hadrian's Wall Path

Hadrian's Wall Path is the National Trail of some 84 miles, linking Wallsend, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, with Bowness-on-Solway on England's west coast. The Path shadows, for its greater part, the historic line of Hadrian's Wall; it lies within a landscape of dramatic contrasts, starting amid bustling, redeveloped Newcastle, and finishing on the lonely shores of the Solway Firth. This is the complete, official guide for the long-distance walker or the weekend stroller. National Trail Guides are the official guidebooks to the fifteen National Trails in England and Wales and are published in association with Natural England, the official body charged with developing and maintaining the Trails.

Since it opened in 2003 Hadrian's Wall Path has become one of Britain's most popular long-distance paths. Its 84 miles are a convenient week's walking, shadowing for the most part the historic line of Hadrian's Wall in its spectacular progress across the superbly wild landscape of the north of England.

Starting in what used to be Tyneside's shipbuilding heart, and joining Newcastle in the east with Carlisle in the west, it takes you via the extraordinary Roman forts of Vindolanda and Housesteads, close to handsome towns like Hexham and Corbridge, to finish on the lonely shores of the Solway Firth with views of Scotland.

This is the official guide to this superb National Trail, published in conjunction with Natural England which administers the path and waymarks it with its familiar acorn signs. Comprehensive and engrossing, it is the only companion you need.

Anthony Burton is the author of more than 50 books, including seven of the Recreational Path Guides and the Weekend Walks series.