Hadrain's Wall
 

We will be in England in July using a Britrail pass. We plan to travel by train from Heathrow to Bath, Oxford, Stratford-on-Avon, Edinburg, York, Cambridge back to London. We would like to visit some of Hadrains' Wall and the Roman ruins. We understand there is a train from Carlisle over to Newcastle. Where is the best place to stop and see part of the wall and ruins? Is there a tour from some station or bus route that we could take?

Also we want to visit Chatsworth. Where is the best place or station to stop in to get to Chatworth?

Thanks for your help!

There is a bus that runs all along the wall. I'd probably stay in Hexham simply because it is a bit larger than Haltwhistle.

http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Hadri...3&ArticleId=54

"<i>We plan to travel by train from Heathrow to Bath, . . .</i>" I assume you know there is no rail service from LHR to Bath (or Oxford, etc). To use trains you'll either take a bus to Reading and walk across to the train station, or take a train into London and then back out to Bath. Even w/ a railpass, you might want to consider taking the express coach to Bath - no transfers or luggage schlepping.

I have done it from Haltwhistle. Train from Carlisle, Lunch at a pub, taxi to vendolla (spelling). then local bus back to Haltwhiste and onto to Roman fort museum. Took the bus back to the train station. You don't see much of the actual wall.

"<i>You don't see much of the actual wall.</i>"

That depends. You can see a lot of it if you stay over night since the bus service serves most of the Wall area. (It is Vindolanda . . .)

For Chatsworth - you'll want either Chesterfield or Matlock then a taxi or buses from there to the house. Not sure about the bus connections but there have been a couple of threads about doing Chatsworth by public transport -try the search function.

Getting to Chatsworth via public transport is not a job for the faint at heart or the easily frustrated--but we found it worth the trouble. You can see how we did it (via a train from London but it doesn't matter where you start from really) at this link. It's Day 9 if you want to cut to the chase. The bus connections did seem to have a history of changing yearly a bit so you had best check directly with the websites for the buses you might take. http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-day-trips.cfm

The AD122 bus runs nearer the more scenic bits of the Wall than the train. For a view of the "best bits", I'd go to Housesteads, which has an excavated fort and small museum - the Wall itself runs alongside, and you can walk up as far as you like (but make sure your footwear has some grip in case the ground's damp underfoot). Turn right and go up the hill for a spectacular view of the Wall snaking along the hilltops
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick...7594174143503/
or left to follow the Wall along the top of some crags.

Then go back to the bus stop and go round to Vindolanda, which has a collection of all sorts of fascinating archaeological finds connected with the Wall and the Roman excavations.

You could do that in a day from either Carlisle or Newcastle:

Housesteads:
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/d...hadrians-wall/

Bus timetables:
http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/hadri...asp?PageId=138

Vindolanda:
http://www.vindolanda.com/getting_to_vindolanda.html

Hello
You could get the train direct from Edinburgh to Newcastle only take about 1 hour. Then back on train Newcastle to York
The tourist office in Newcastle nr Greys monument are very nice and will be able to tell you about trips to Hadrians wall. Well worth a visit, I have never taken a tour as I live not far away and take the car.
let me know if you need more help

I drove along it from Hexham. Driving is the best way to see it; the visitor's centre and museum, the fort, the parts of it that are open and the parts that aren't. It is very much in open countryside so ideally you need a good day. Take an umbrella if there is even a hint of rain that day.

"<i>Driving is the best way to see it . ." </i>

It is . . if one has a car -- no question. But this OP won't have a car.

The bus service travels all along the wall and is very easy.

I almost always rent a car when in the UK -- but Hadrian's wall is very VERY doable w/o one.

Don't forget that there remain parts of Roman walls in York as well as Norman walls that you can see as well. Look particulary in the area near Exhibition square and in the lower level of York Minster.

Hadrian's Wall - my two favorite bits were Housesteads (you actually DO get to see a very long section of well-preserved Wall there and
Gilsland - the Mile Castle is interesting, well-preverved and under-visited.

Actually, the best way to see the wall is on foot. There's a short but spectacular walk between Steel Rig and Housesteads.

Unfortunately, anyone doing a search for Hadrian's Wall may not find this post!

"<i>Unfortunately, anyone doing a search for Hadrian's Wall may not find this post!</i>"

jeez . . . Of course they would. Hadrian's is spelled correctly many times w/i the thread so one teensy misspelling in the title doesn't hurt one little bit . . . .

janisj, good to know it doesn't just check the title!

well - that depends on if one clicks >><blue>Search full topic and replies</blue><< which a sensible person would . . . .

Thanks for your help!

Where is the Normal wall in York? Is it best to take a hop-on-hop off bus tour of York since we will have a short time there? A walking tour is nice, but only if youi can hear the guide.