Hadrian’s Wall

Northumberland

Stretching 80 breathtaking miles through the rugged Northumbrian landscape, Hadrian’s Wall is both a historic marvel and a fabulous spot for a springtime stroll. Start out at the Housesteads Visitor Centre, the site of a Roman fort, and follow the Sycamore Gap walk as it traces the path of the wall, meandering over the rolling hills and craggy ridges of North England. Hadrian’s Wall was built in 122 AD by the Roman Army, to defend the Empire’s northernmost border from attack, and once stretched from coast to coast. You don’t have to walk it all, of course, and this manageable hike takes in stunning views, and the sycamore tree that was once crowned the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year.

Housteads, a Victorian farmhouse in Hexham, is the perfect place to stay, as it’s just a short walk from the Roman fort itself.

✣ Sleeps five for three nights from £415; nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays/ housesteads-northumberland