@@danforbes4513 I can't remember exactly but not much because I did things pretty cheap. Campsites were £5-10. Wild camped a couple nights. Packed food was about £30-40 plus a couple of meals out and some beers. Parking was maybe £30 and taking the train back to pick up my car was about £15. Fuel to drive there was biggest expense. Overall can't have been much more than £150.
This was a super helpful video. I appreciated hearing how far you walked each day, where you stayed, and the video of the landscape. I was also glad to hear whyyou walked the direction you did due to the wind. Wonderful information!
Hi Matt - great video. Thanks for the information. I'm setting off tomorrow and have booked a holiday in Bamburgh (my favourite place in the world) in Northumberland, the week after to recouperate!
Hi mat , thanks for this video,me and my brother are planning to walk this next year . Your video has been a really good start to educate me on what I am in for. Really appreciate you making the video you did a great job 👍 cheers mat
This was great! Liked, subscribed, and shared!!! Can't wait to watch more of your videos. They have just the right amount of information. Thanks so much!!!
Thank you Matt. This us something I gave thought about doing many times over the years but not really had the opportunity. Next year I will so this vlog is really helpful. And it looks way more interesting and beautiful than I had imagined.
This video was really really informative and useful, so thank you so much for posting it! I’m going to try doing it in 3 days, I know it’ll never happen but I’m literally parked up right now at Mile 80’s car park in Bowness-on-Solway and determined, so wish me luck! I’m going to leave at the crack of dawn to give myself a better chance!!!
No worries mate, glad you found it helpful! That would be some brutal day-to-day distances 😅! Good luck with it bro, drink plenty of water and do lots of stretching - you'll have an amazing trip!
Thank you, was searching for a trail to do at the end of the month, looks like I will be doing this one, thank you very much for the information friend!
Thank you for the video and the blog post. I found them very informative. I will be there in 4 weeks time Fate permitting. I will try those glove like socks as foot blisters are my main concern for this trip. Will be staying in B&Bs or bunkhouses. I will probably bring two different types of shoes, a pair of old boots and a newish pair of hiking shoes. I had a look around your website and I must admit that your lifestyle is very interesting. Best of luck in your travels.
Thanks Robert. Glad you found them useful! Those socks really work for me so I hope they are good for you too. Enjoy the hike, all the challenges are what make it a memorable experience. Yes I'm not in the UK anymore. Currently trying to drive from the Canadian Arctic to the bottom of South America! Will be an expedition that lasts for at least another year. Cheers for your message, Matt
No problem, glad you found it useful. June-August are the most reliable months for weather. Late May and early september might be good too as the walking paths will be a little quieter! Thanks, Matt
Great to see the itinerary breakdown! How many liters is your backpack? I have a 45 and I don't really want to upgrade lol but I think it's a little small for all my gear.
Thanks Angela, glad you found it useful. 48 litres is what I have. I use the Osprey Exos 48 and found that to be plenty big enough. You don't really want to go larger than that, unless you're winter camping, if you're doing a long hike like this! Maybe look at investing to get some more lightweight gear instead?
Hi matt dave here from sheffield i was thinking doing coast to coast trail but recently decided gonna do hadrians wall trail been there before but only day trip years ago. Reason contact you the campsites whats the average prices and best areas as I might do few days in certain places just spend more time . I love nature and the outside so just take my time spend a week or longer if I have to. Hope here from you soon matt
Hi Dave, thanks for reaching out. Coast 2 Coast is probably more wild and slightly harder to navigate. Hmm I think anywhere between £10-20 if I remember correctly. Some of those could also be bunkhouses which are on the upper end. I've got a big list of the campsites in my travel guide, just check out the links in the video description. Sounds great to take your time, that's a lot to enjoy around the wall. Good luck! Matt
Thinking about giving this a go in the next week or two. Do you reckon id be alright just bimbling along and trying my luck with hitting a site or is it really something that should be more set in stone? cheers for the video, very helpful!
As it's September you are probably going to be okay turning up at the site each day because the trail won't be as busy. There's always a risk though. Some areas there are no other campsites for miles so that might be worth booking in advance!
Which side are you talking about? In Newcastle, public transport options are everywhere (trains, metro, bus, taxi). In Bowness, it's mainly only a bus route but you could probably find a taxi or pre-book one to pick you up!
It gets very busy in summer but that's when the weather is best. Fringe time of late spring and early autumn would bring quieter trailers. April - September is probably the best hiking window. Not advised in winter as there can be a lot of snow and sub-zero conditions up that way!
Very informative. However, PLEASE remember that when we speak English we do not go up at the end of our sentences. We are not Australian or American. It is a statement NOT a question. Bloody irritating.
Haha wow. It’s not easy speaking for 13 minutes unbroken and getting all that information in! Infliction creeps in even when I don’t want it to. You’re more than welcome to switch off the video if you find it so irritating, I’m only trying to help people
@@mornalawson4637 Good morning Morna. I know you are right. I went off on one that day. What comes around goes around. I don't doubt it will all change again one day. All the best. John
Thank you, very glad you found it beneficial! All the information is in a travel guide I wrote on my website: mattwalkwild.com/how-to-walk-hadrians-wall-path/ you might find it easier reading that then copy and pasting the relevant info instead. Good luck with the hike :)
Doing this walk in a few weeks. Cant wait! What was wrong with the campsite on day six ? Sounds rough. Last thing ya need after walking 20 miles man. Great video!! Thanks! Gives all a great idea about it! Especially walking from west to east coz I WAS gunna do the other way!! Cheers man!
Technically the start of the defences are at South Shields fort (Arbeia), which protected the estuary, as the river was considered a wide enough defence; after visiting the fort you take the ferry across to the north bank and along to Wallsend. There are a couple of wild camping sites, one is at the village of Wall about 20 miles in.
Am considering walking East to West, because east end looks easier to get to with public transport, meaning we’d start earlier, and the west end looks nicer area to spend some time in afterwards. How bad would you say, obviously weather dependent, the wind would be if walking that direction?
Hey thanks. I’ve saved this video in my “watch later” as it’s been very helpful. I have an idea to walk Hadrian’s Wall this year as a *novice* hiker. I was a novice cyclist on the TPT last year…. I might actually attempt some hikes before doing the real thing this time. 🤭
Great video, Matt! When did you walk the Path in this video and what's the best time of year to walk it, weather-wise and crowd-wise? As far as distance to walk each day, is it easy to shorten the days and find accomodation along the Path, though it will end up with more walking days? Also, thanks for the links with recommended gear. Are wearing socks with the toes like your link shows the best idea for this walk? Do they help from blistering or just comfortable?
For most of these answers I'm going to point you to my travel guide as it's a little more in depth than the video: mattwalkwild.com/how-to-walk-hadrians-wall-path/ But for quick answers, I walked in July but was very unlucky with the weather. Did avoid crowds though. Your hiking ability will dictate that but generally it's more enjoyable if the hike isn't rushed and it's less strenuous on the body too. Though socks are great for me becuase I used to get blisters and rubbing between my toes and at the tips of my feet. The socks stopped that completely for me but it will depend on your shoe choice also. Hope that helped! Matt
If you are reading this before you walk the Wall, when you get to around Haltwhistle golf course (especially east to west) be careful NOT to follow the acorn waymarkers blindly as you may end up walking south on The Pennine Way. A gentleman did just that when we walked it last and the lady at our B&B was very concerned that he hadn’t turned up. HW and PW share a few miles. Hope this makes sense. Great video. (Btw it’s Seg-a-doon-um, with a g as in gate; and Boe-ness, like bow tie 😉not criticising, just saying)
Good points Cath thanks for mentioning! It hadn't occurred to me the two trails could become confusing. They were tricky words to pronounce so I'm not surprised I got it a bit wrong haha
I am planning to do think hike this summer late June or early July. Question!?? Do you suggest booking accommodations ahead of time or would it be ok to do a walk-up?
It depends on the type of accommodation you want. If it's campsites, then no it should be okay. Bunkhouses might get filled and BnBs are often sold out. The issue with booking is that you have to plan your walking distances correctly and you don't have as much flexibility but that might be better than sleeping rough!
Matt, this was really good. We’ve walked HW twice & you make me want to do it again. My favorite section is Birdoswald to Gilsland - love that section. And, you are quite right, walk west to east - keeps the rain at your back. Thoroughly enjoyed your video.
Thanks Joan, did you walk west to east both times or did you try it in different directions? I agree, the Nortumberland section was sensational! Glad you enjoyed the video.
West to east both times. Read that advice when first researching our walk. And, that was 2005 (I think). Very few people on the path. We arranged our own accommodations - my version of “camping” - hotels/inns/B & B’s without room service. Just a backpack & carried everything. Second trip used Contours to arrange everything. They are excellent. Only thing we wished we had was another pair of shoes - got tired of wearing hiking boots all the time. And, you’re right about stretching. Absolutely essential. I never did it enough. Next up, we think, will be the Thames Path. Assuming we are able to travel. Walked the Kennet-Avon Canal in 2019. Take care. Stay safe.
@@joanburda4703 That sounds incredible. You're first trip is similar to how I did mine! Yes agreed, hiking boots aren't always the best option. I'd be very keen to do the Thames Path, hope you enjoy it and good luck with all your hikes in the future!
Hi Matt, thanks a lot for video! We plan our hike this May and we would like to stay in campgrounds. Do you think we should book campgrounds upfront or it is not necessary? Thanks a lot! :)
Great appraisal. I sat for the journey as much as anything. I've been invited onto this trail and really love the idea - as you say a mix of fantastic landscape and history. I agree, we need our feet. Thankfully I never have any problems wit them - I feel for them who do. Anyway, subbed on account of the good vibes. All the best. Mark
It's a great hike. I've you've been given the opportunity to walk it, I think you should go! Thanks for subscribing and I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Matt
Thanks for the video Matt. Really helpful. I'm doing this walk 1st week October this year & wanted to ask you about footwear. I've heard there is a lot of pavement on this walk so is it wise to take some trainers as well as hiking shoes/boots?
Excellent, it's a great hike! Yes I actually used trail running shoes on this hike. I found them very comfy and there is a lot of pavement on this hike - at least a quarter, perhaps more. There's lots of rain in that area so you may prefer waterproof boots but a spare pair of trainers could be valuable when you want to give your feet a break. Good luck! Matt
Hi 👋🏼 thanks for the tip!! I’m doing a 40km walk along Hadrian wall in September. Just like to know what’s the best type of shoes to use for a novice hiker. I have done 12km training walks with running shoes and it strain my knee once. Any suggestions? Thank you 😃
Hi Ariel, sounds like a great trip! I like to use trail runners (Altra Lonepeaks). They are very lightweight and breathable + they are more grippy that a regular running shoe. However, they still don’t offer you the same support as a proper hiking boot so it really depends on your priorities. If you do buy a hiking boot, go into the store and try them on then make sure you break them in properly with lots of warm up hikes before you head to Hadrian’s Wall otherwise you’ll get bad blisters! Good luck 👍🏼
This is a great information. Thank you so much. Having read books that takes place in Hadrian Wall in 2nd century, and it really made me want to walk this path. Did you say when this was you walked? Or do you have a recommendation of time of the year to try? (assuming no COVID restrictions..)
No problem and thanks for watching. The history of the area really is outstanding! I walked it in August 2020 I believe it was. So that was during the pandemic and some of the campsites were closed and there were restrictions in place. Autumn and Spring are a good time of year as it won't be as busy. September is a good time to hike it for sure!
Great, helpful video. Am planning to do this very hike in May. Do you think it would be possible to camp at campsites but eat out (at pubs/cafes) so we're not lugging round cooking equipment?
Thanks Mike. That's certainly possible for most of the hike, but not all of it. Some of the campsites are close to pubs, restaurants, cafes and even have food options on site. I had two nights where there were no food options but you can shuffle around your walking itinerary to try for a campsite that's near town. You may have to do a BnB one or two of the nights. In my travel guide I included lots of the cafes/pubs I walked past and include a load of the campsites. Have a look at the guide and you can find out what works for you (mattwalkwild.com/how-to-walk-hadrians-wall-path/).
Great vid buddy. Super informative and easy to follow. Good job! Gonna tackle this solo in sept 😁 unsure if I’m gonna camp or bnb it yet. Maybe I’ll do both. Are there hostels? Or just bnb’s
Thanks mate. September will be a great month for it I recon as the main sites will be a bit quieter but you’ll still have good weather! Not hostels per say but there are bunkhouses which are pretty much the same thing. I passed a few bunkhouses that were cheaper than BnBs and were used by lots of the hikers. They were closed when I walked it due to Covid but I’m sure they’ll be back operating now
Why is prohibited camping in the UK? On other hands this is a nice channel for me to learn British English, and also because i like wild life, woodlands, and natural places , and beautiful landscapes. Greetings 💯🤗
It is to do with old land laws. Lots of the land in the UK is owned by farmers etc. So generally you're allowed to hike in these parks no problem but people get strange about camping. The UK is such a beautiful island and I'm happy to hear you like learning about it! All the best, Matt
Thanks for that great video and tips. So, if I don't want to camp in a tent, can I relay on bnbs and hotels/hostels along the way, or are they too far apart and there is no way to completely avoid sleeping outdoor for a few nights?
There are enough bnbs and hostels but it's worth having a look in advance before you go to help plan your walking distances each day. If you don't look, you might be exhausted at the end of the day but it's another 2-3 miles to the next town where there's a BnB. Advance booking will make sure you know exactly how far to walk and that you're guaranteed a warm bed at the end of each day!
sorry but al have to re educate you, its walls start, the wall begun from walls end, and started to feather out just past brampton with valums, this is fact, the tyne was a hub for defence, later on they built the fort on the south side which is unique but not many know about it at south shields, there is more defence forts from walls start to the north sea but there lost forever now,
No problem. Pembrokeshire Coast Path is my other favourite long distance hike. It's more challenging but more rewarding. I have hiking videos and guides of it on my channel also so you can check those out too!
No I didn't actually. General tip is no more than 20% of your body. As light as possible is recommended. 10kg is ideal but anywhere up to 15kg is probably more realistic.
Thanks mate. It's a great hike to do in Spring, would be beautiful then! Yeah I love them. They're pretty much the only hiking socks I ever use. I actually used to get some blisters and rubbing between my toes and the Injinji socks stopped that instantly. If that's an issue you have I think they'd work well for you too.
hi thanks for the very informative video , we are starting on Monday! Can you tell me if the Roman forts are clearly marked from the main route? thanks
Excellent to hear. Some of them are clearly marked, mainly the bigger ones and you need to pay for entry. The smaller ones often have information placards on them. Some of the forts are actually away from the walk so have a research before you go if there are any you really want to see!
It's possible in theory but you have to be a strong hiker. I tried wild camping a couple nights and it was really tough. You can't camp near the wall of anything and lots of places are exposed. You probably have to pitch in open fields if you want to do that
I walked the HWP July 21 with HF Holidays. Had a guide with us telling us the stories and history. Stayed overnight in hotels and when needed, was either picked up and delivered to the hotel or collected from the hotel in the morning and dropped back off where we finished the night before. Luggage transfers done by the company so only needed a day pack. Packed lunches provided and B&B in the hotels. We were lucky with the weather, 2 very heavy but short showers, 1 30 minute but light shower - not bad for 6 days. Averaged 15 miles/day. 16 in the group - really good way to see the wall.
@@mattwalkwild6784 thinking of going with the same company next year and doing the Coast to Coast - easy to get to the start from where I live as only 1 stop down the line on the train. It is good to have the guide - someone with the notes to point out those things that you can so easily just walk straight past and who knows the best cafes to stop at en route. Considering 16 of us started, only 11 walked every one of the 90 miles we did (a few detours off to hotels or places of interest over and above the 84 of the HWP) - 3 succumbed to blisters and 2 had days off to stay with the injured - but they were allowed to travel with the luggage transfers or told exactly how to get from A to B on public transport if they were unable to walk that day. A bit vanilla when compared to some walking trips but the idea of carrying everything on a 57 year old back doesn't appeal (nor does sleeping on a camping mat tbh). Good luck on your future treks.
@@richardhunter7363 I've wanted to do the Coast to Coast for a while now. Should be spectacular. That one requires a bit more off-roading as I don't think the trails are as clearly marked. For sure! I think it's common to walk longer than the 84 miles in HWP, I did too. There was a lot to see! Thanks for your kind words and good luck on the C2C if you decide to walk it!
Hi Paul, I have some more info on my website if you wish to know about parking. mattwalkwild.com/how-to-walk-hadrians-wall-path/ You can either use Your Parking Space or Just Park, both work in the same way. I booked a parking slot in the big Sainsbury's car park next to Carlisle Castle. Most things are within walking distance in Carlisle and I think it was about 15 minutes from the train and bus station. Cost was very cheap, £12.50 for a month but of course I only used it for a week. Cheers, Matt
The wild camping is not only not allowed in the National Park but a lot of the length is designated SSI and has ancient monument status too, both of which have further protections. Disturbing the ground, even moving a stone can carry a 10 yr imprisonment at worse. Much of the ground is un-excavated so even placement of stones is important archeologically. Farmers need to get permission to put a post in the ground. The risk of fires is quite high too at times of the year. The area is well walked, so there is very little area where you could camp without trace being seen afterwards and spoiling the experience of its beauty for others. Of course you can probably get away with it but it doesn't mean it is OK.