Castles, Hadrian's Wall & the Lake District

Discover forts, fells and film sets in the storied wilds of northern England

For an adventurous getaway combining history and hiking, few destinations can compete with the windswept wilds of northern England. Here we meet long-gone monarchs and marauding invaders at Alnwick and Bamburgh castles, both seen in TV shows and films, including Harry Potter, Downton Abbey and The Last Kingdom. We also cross to the tidal island of Lindisfarne, the birthplace of Christianity in England, and walk a section of Hadrian’s Wall, which once marked the northwest boundary of the Roman empire. We end the trip in the Lake District where we hike two peaks – known locally as fells – for astonishing views over perhaps the most beautiful rural landscape in the UK.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
• Read more about our other initiatives

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for reusable bottles.
• The payment of entrance fees to natural reserves and archaeological sites generates income which is used for upkeep and development of these important sites.
• We rewild 1,075sqft (100sqm) per passenger to compensate for all trip and flight emissions.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Walking trips like this have very little detrimental impact on the environment and the locals, as it is a quiet, low-impact activity requiring comparatively few resources to support.
• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring a reusable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is graded Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page.

There are five days of walking which vary in distance and difficulty based on the terrain, with an average distance of 7.3 miles (11.8km) per day. The terrain is flatter on the coastal walks (day 2 and 3) and generally undulating pavement with some rocky and uneven sections. These days can also include some muddier pathways and potentially walking on sand/causeways when we visit Lindisfarne. The terrain along Hadrian's Wall and the mountains in the Lake District can be rocky and uneven in some areas, with some steep sections.

• The walk up Cat Bells in the Lake District (day 5) has areas of exposed rocky sections with the need to do some scrambling so it is not suitable for vertigo sufferers.
• The walk up Helvellyn in the Lake District (day 6) has an overall ascent of 2,500 ft (762m) so a good level of fitness is required.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

United Kingdom

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for polio, tetanus and rabies (bat lyssavirus). Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Visa

United Kingdom

Travellers from the US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter the United Kingdom. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/united-kingdom
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/united-kingdom
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/UnitedKingdom.html

Food & Drink

All breakfasts and two dinners are included.

Weather

Rain can come at any time of year; however, the temperatures typically rise from around 12C (54F) in April to the high 20Cs (around 80F-85F) or above in September. Like most of the UK in recent years there have been some hotter days in the middle of summer.