Hadrian's Wall 5-Day Challenging

Hadrian's Wall
5-Day Challenging

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Overview

  • Tour DifficultyChallenging
  • Tour Duration5 Days / 4 Nights
  • Daily Saddle Time4+ Hours
  • Daily Elevation579 m (1952 feet)
  • Daily Distance83 km (52 miles)
  • Total Distance250 kms (155 miles)
  • StartWhitehaven, England
  • FinishTynemouth, England
  • Local AirportsNewcastle, Glasgow or Manchester
  • Tour SeasonApr 1 - Sept 31
  • History & CultureYes
  • Electric BikeYes
  • Gravel BikingYes
  • Solo TravellersYes

Overview

  • Tour DifficultyChallenging
  • Tour Duration5 Days / 4 Nights
  • Daily Saddle Time4+ Hours
  • Daily Elevation579 m (1952 feet)
  • Daily Distance83 km (52 miles)
  • Total Distance250 kms (155 miles)
  • StartWhitehaven, England
  • FinishTynemouth, England

Highlights

  • Coast 2 Coast: Ride across the spanse of England as you dip your wheels in both the Irish Sea and the expansive Northern Sea.
  • The Roman Frontier: Feel the history of Ancient Rome as you cycle along the iconic Hadrian's Wall. Almost 2000 years old, this barrier was built to separate the Barbarians in the North, from the "civilized" Romans in the South.
  • Medieval Mystique: Jump forward 1000 years and experience England's medieval prestige. The imposing Carlisle Castle and haunting Lanercost Priory await.
  • Vindolanda: One of the largest active Roman excavation sites in Europe. Follow in their footsteps and wander the same streets of this ancient civilization, whilst watching international excavation teams working to discover more.
  • Market Town Charm: Live like a local in Hexham and Brampton. With their charming and authentic country town market squares and independent shops selling their weirs.
  • Urban Meets History: Arriving in Newcastle Upon Tyne is a smooth transition from history and country, to a bustling and culturally rich city famed for it's impressive Tyne bridge.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Whitehaven

Welcome to Whitehaven, a historic Georgian port town on the Cumbrian coast. Upon arrival, explore the harbor, once a major center for coal and rum trade. Visit The Rum Story, a museum showcasing the town’s maritime heritage, or take a coastal walk to St. Bees, where dramatic cliffs and seabird colonies await. Enjoy fresh seafood in a harbor-side restaurant, soak in the seaside atmosphere, and prepare for the cycling adventure ahead. Tomorrow, you begin your coast-to-coast journey!

Day 2: Whitehaven - Bowness on Solway

Distance: 85 kms (53 miles) / Elevation Gain: 331 m (1086 feet) / Saddle Time: 4+ hours

Your cycling adventure begins along the stunning Solway Coast, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Ride through Maryport, where you can visit the Senhouse Roman Museum, then continue along quiet lanes with spectacular estuary views. This peaceful route, home to diverse birdlife, takes you through charming villages before reaching Bowness-on-Solway, the official western end of Hadrian’s Wall. Here, you can reflect on the journey ahead while enjoying a tranquil evening by the Solway Firth.

Day 3: Bowness on Solway - Haltwhistle

Distance: 69 kms (43 miles) / Elevation Gain:667 m (2188 feet) / Saddle Time: 3-5 hours

Leaving the coast behind, you head inland, following Hadrian’s Wall Cycle Route (NCN 72). Ride through Carlisle, where you can explore Carlisle Castle and the Tullie House Museum before continuing into Hadrian’s Wall Country. The landscape becomes more rugged as you pass Lanercost Priory and climb towards Birdoswald Roman Fort, one of the best-preserved sites along the Wall. The route challenges you with rolling hills as you pass Walltown Crags, offering breathtaking views, before reaching Haltwhistle, known as the “Centre of Britain.”

Day 4: Haltwhistle - Tynemouth

Distance: 96 kms (59 miles) / Elevation Gain: 740 m (2427 feet) / Saddle Time: 4+ hours

Today’s ride takes you through the most iconic Roman landscapes before transitioning into urban scenery. Stop at Vindolanda, one of the most significant Roman archaeological sites, before descending towards Hexham, a lively market town with its stunning abbey. Follow the River Tyne, passing Corbridge and Chesters Roman Fort, before reaching Newcastle. Stop at Segedunum Roman Fort at Wallsend, marking the eastern end of Hadrian’s Wall, before following traffic-free cycle paths along the River Tyne to Tynemouth. Celebrate your journey with a walk along the coast and a well-earned fish and chips by the sea.

Day 5: Depart from Tynemouth

Spend your final morning exploring Tynemouth’s rich history and scenic coastline. Visit the Tynemouth Priory & Castle, perched dramatically on the cliffs, or wander through the lively Tynemouth Market, held in the Victorian train station. If you have time, take a coastal walk to Cullercoats Bay or relax at King Edward’s Bay, a sheltered sandy beach. Reflect on your journey along Hadrian’s Wall before departing with incredible memories of your Roman cycling adventure. Well done on completing an epic coast-to-coast ride!

Map

Accommodation

All our accommodation selections are in-house reviewed. We partner with family-owned, charming guesthouses and hotels where you can relax and recharge. Below are some sample accommodations on our Hadrian’s Wall tours. Depending on availability, the accommodation you stay at may vary but will always be of a similar standard.

Whitehaven: Georgian House Hotel

The Georgian House Hotel provides exceptional accommodation, the finest cuisine and a genuinely warm welcome.

Your stay will include a full and hearty English breakfast, together with fresh fruit and pastries. The eight en-suite bedrooms are spacious, comfortable and come with en-suite, complimentary biscuits, dressing gowns, free Wi-Fi, Smart TV, beverage making facilities, hair dryer, iron and ironing board.

Haltwhistle: Centre of Britain Guesthouse

This is Haltwhistle’s most historic building.  The oldest part of the hotel was a Border Reivers’ Pele Tower, dating from the 15th Century. Later it became a Manor House, Excise Office, Coaching Inn, Post Office, Temperance Hotel, Pub and Café. In 1997 they completely restored the building, finding many archaeological and architectural features – many of which have been included in the modern presentation of the reborn Hotel.

Tynemouth: Sandsides B&B

Sandsides Guest House is a beautiful Victorian building that offers you a home from home bed and breakfast accommodation. It’s traditional English character and ideal location, situated on the main route from the seafront to the town centre, facing onto a new lottery-funded family park.

In addition to offering lovely sea views, the B&B is directly opposite a brand-new children’s play park. A pleasant two-minute stroll takes you to the Park View area, where you’ll find many delightful little cafés and bistros. Just a five-minute walk, and you’ll find yourself in the centre of town.

FAQ

What Is the cycle like?

This tour is in our Challenging difficulty grading. Consisting of a blend of cycle lanes, quiet country roads and riverside trails. You’ll spend most of the ride navigating through rolling countryside & undulating hills. The mid tour cycle day is the toughest, allowing for a gentle warm up and nice cool down. Although you will encounter an occasional steep ascent, the main challenge is in the distance.

We offer E-MTBs, Hardtail Mountain bikes & Gravel bikes for this tour. As the daily distances are on the limit of electric range, our in house recommendation is a gravel bike.

Is this tour for me?

This Hadrian’s Wall tour puts history and discovery above all else. If you appreciate exploring times long past in beautiful country surroundings, this is the tour for you. There is limited time to explore the landmarks along the way, but you will have time to take a break and appreciate them.

It is a perfect route for those who love to clock up serious mileage with a stunning backdrop. The route attracts large amounts of cyclists and hikers from all over the world, giving the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow adventurers too.

Tour includes

  • 4 nights accommodation in charming guesthouses and hotels
  • A hearty breakfast each morning
  • Transfers while on tour
  • Luggage transfers between accommodations
  • Detailed itinerary, GPX files and printable maps of your route
  • Tips on local attractions, history & evening meals
  • On call support before and during your tour

Tour excludes

  • Flights and transfers to and from the trail heads
  • Lunches & Dinners
  • Insurance
  • Bike rental (Selected on checkout)

The Bikes

You have a choice of bringing your own bike or renting your tour bike through us during booking. For Hadrian’s Wall, the bikes available are quality electric & manual mountain bikes or gravel bikes. If an electric bike is chosen, it will bring the daily saddle time down by approximately 1 hour.

We only partner with the best bike suppliers for all our destinations so you’ll be guaranteed well maintained, premium brand bikes such as Cube, Trek or KTM.

All bike rentals come with helmet, lock and repair kit. A network of mechanics are on call in case of any mechanical issues faced while on tour.

What Is The Climate Like?

We offer tours on Hadrian’s Wall from April – September. At the start of the tour season, the average temperatures in Newcastle are approximately 10 °C (50 °F). This is the quietest times of the season to miss queues at landmarks. Temperatures peak at 19 °C (66 °F) in July & August. Temperatures as high as 26 °C (79 °F) have been recorded, but these are quite rare. Please see image below for reference.

The western Lake District and Cumbria are historically some of the wettest regions in the UK, but the latter half of the ride in the east is much drier. It is recommended to have emergency wet gear packed at all times while riding. Precipitation in this region is typically lighter and consistent in nature.

Is The Tour Easy To Navigate?

We include detailed navigation instructions and GPX files for your ride. Our navigation app is easy to use and we give a detailed instructional video on how to use it. If you are having any difficulty, we are on call at all times to assist you.

You largely follow National Cycle Route 72 and there is frequent marked signage on the routes to keep you on course, as well as many fellow cyclists on the trails to steer you in the right direction.

What If There Is An Issue On Tour?

Included in your tour, is 24/7 message and video support. If you have an issue with navigation, bike breakdown, accommodation, medical, etc, we are at the touch of a button away at all times.

We have an extensive network of suppliers along the route, who will resolve the problem as swiftly as possible.

More FAQ

If you haven’t found the answer you’re looking for above, visit our general FAQ page for more information or simply reach out to us with the “Ask A Question” button on the side.

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Price

Hadrian's Wall 5-Day Challenging

From$889
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Tour Includes


3* or 4* Accommodation Throughout

Breakfast Each Morning

Transfers While On Tour

Luggage Transfer

Itinerary & Navigation Documentation

Tips & Local Insights

24-Hour Support

From$889
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