When I was planning my walk along Hadrian’s Wall, the thing that overwhelmed me most was booking my Hadrian’s Wall walk accommodation.
Should I stay in B&Bs? I wondered. What about hostels? Or should I scrap it all and just camp?
When I looked online, it was hard to find hotels near Hadrian’s Wall. As a walker, finding hotels directly on the trail was a must — the last thing you want to do after walking 20 miles is add an extra five miles trying to find your hotel.
So I wanted to write a Hadrian’s Wall accommodation guide to help you find the best places to stay near Hadrian’s Wall and hopefully save you the headache I went through.
There’s a wide range of accommodation along Hadrian’s Wall, from youth hostels to fancy hotels, but I strongly recommend staying in B&Bs and small hotels.
I stayed almost exclusively in B&Bs, and they were cozy, atmospheric, and quintessentially English. Plus, the majority served delicious food, as well as local beers and ciders.
The accommodation was truly one of the highlights of my walk!
Hadrian’s Wall hotels near the wall: My top recommendations
Day 1: Newcastle
County Hotel Newcastle: ☆☆☆ / ☆☆☆☆
Distance from the trail: A short walk
County Hotel Newcastle is a great place to stay the night before you begin your walk because it’s right next to the train station.
I loved the hotel’s historic building, but the room was just alright: it had a comfortable bed, but the design was kind of sterile.
Click here to see the latest prices.
Other Newcastle accommodation options:
Jurys Inn — This is a good choice because it’s also an easy walk from the train station. It offers hot and cold breakfast, so you can fuel up before your walk.
Hotel Indigo Newcastle — Hotel Indigo is a boutique hotel located in the heart of the city. It’s less than a five-minute walk from the Newcastle train station.
Day 2: Heddon-on-the-Wall
Hadrian Hideout Airbnb ☆☆☆ / ☆☆☆☆
Distance from the trail: 30 feet away
The Hadrian Hideout is an apartment you can rent on Airbnb. Though this converted garage may be basic, it has everything you’ll need: an ensuite bathroom, a hot shower, and a private garden.
It can sleep up to three people, as it has a bunk bed and a sofa bed.
Best of all, it’s less than 30 feet from the trail! The only downside – it got a little drafty at night (the door isn’t insulated) but the host provided heaters.
Click here to see the latest prices.
If you’ve never used Airbnb, you can use this coupon code to get $40 off your first stay!
Other Heddon-on-the-Wall accommodation options:
Heddon-on-the-Wall is a small village, so there isn’t much in terms of accommodation. That being said, I’ve heard good things about Hadrian’s Barn and Houghton North Farm Cottage.
Day 3: Chollerford
The George Hotel: ☆☆☆ / ☆☆☆☆
Distance from the trail: Directly on it
The George Chollerford is a historic hotel with a beautiful riverfront location. The room was a little dated, but the hotel is located directly on the path and has a restaurant and bar.
Plus, it’s the only accommodation in Chollerford, so I was overjoyed when I got there and could stop walking for the day.
Click here to see the latest prices.
Other Chollerford accommodation options:
The George Hotel is the only accommodation in Chollerford that is right on the trail. If you’re willing to walk further, I’ve heard Warwick Hall is super nice (and it has a spa!). If you’re looking for Chollerford camping options, Greencarts Farm and Rye Hill Farm are highly recommended — just know that they’re in Hexham, so you’ll have to walk further that day.
Day 4: Once Brewed
Twice Brewed Inn: ☆☆☆☆ / ☆☆☆☆
Distance from the trail: Directly on it
The Twice Brewed Inn is FANTASTIC: wonderful food, cozy ambiance, an absurdly soft and wonderful bed. Both breakfast and dinner were delicious, and they had local beers on tap.
Though it doesn’t look like much like from the outside, it was one of my favorite places of the trip.
Click here to see the latest prices.
Other Once Brewed accommodation options:
Vallum Lodge — Vallum Lodge is a cozy cottage-style B&B with beautiful views of the Northumbrian countryside. It’s also very near the trail.
Winshields Campsite — Winshields Farm is just down the road from The Twice Brewed Inn. It offers camping and a bunkhouse, so it’s a great option if you’re on a budget.
Day 5: Gilsland
Brookside Villa B&B ☆☆☆☆ / ☆☆☆☆
Distance: Directly on the trail
I adored Brookside Villa – this Gilsland bed and breakfast is a true gem. It was clean, cozy, and modern, and they served a fantastic Full English breakfast. I lingered for a long time over my coffee because I didn’t want to leave!
And if you’re looking for hotels close to Hadrian’s Wall, it doesn’t get much closer than Brookside – it’s directly on the path.
I also loved Gilsland in general – it was my favorite town on the Hadrian’s Wall Path.
Click here to see the latest prices.
Other Gilsland accommodation options:
The Samson Inn: I had dinner (shepherd’s pie made with local lamb – amazing) at the Samson Inn. The pub is adorable (very quintessentially English), so definitely stop there for a drink even if you’re not staying the night.
Willowford Farm: Willowford Farm is both a B&B and a working sheep farm. It looks gorgeous and I’ve heard the food is very good.
Day 6: Carlisle
Howard Lodge: ☆☆☆ / ☆☆☆☆
Distance: Near the trail
Howard Inn is a family-run Victorian guest house. The hosts were incredibly welcoming and offered to do my laundry for a small fee. It’s located about 0.25 miles from Carlisle City center.
Click here to read reviews on TripAdvisor. You can book by contacting the hotel directly here.
Other accommodation options in Carlisle:
The Halston Carlisle – The Halston is an elegant apartment-style hotel housed in an Edwardian building.
Cornerways Guest House – Cornerways is a four-star B&B, set in a Grade II listed Victorian townhouse. It’s centrally located, and only a five-minute walk to central Carlisle.
Day 7: Carlisle (but walk to Bowness-on-Solway)
On your final day, you can walk to Bowness-on-Solway, where the original wall ended. I finished my walk in Carlisle, but you can read Nadine Walk’s summary of walking from Carlisle to Bowness-on-Solway here.
Tip – book your hotel in Carlisle for two nights so you can leave most of your belongings at the hotel and just carry a light daypack on your walk to Bowness. Note that Bowness has limited accommodation options so it’s probably best to stay in Carlisle.
Tips for booking your Hadrian’s Wall walk accommodation:
Book your accommodation in advance. Hotels near Hadrian’s Wall book up quickly, so I’d recommend booking your hotels 2-3 months before your trip.
Before booking accommodation, plan out your walking itinerary. Hadrian’s Wall Path runs for 84 miles, and you can walk it as fast or slow as you like. I broke it up so I was walking a moderate distance every day — no more than 18 miles (29km). That pace worked really well for me, so I’ve included my itinerary below.
Book your Hadrian’s Wall path accommodation as close to the path as possible. As I mentioned, if you’re walking the wall, it’s crucial to book accommodation near Hadrian’s Wall. There’s nothing worse than thinking you’re done for the day and realizing you have another mile to go until you reach your hotel.
Here was my chosen route (distances are estimates):
Day 1: Arrive in Newcastle
Day 2: Newcastle City Center to Heddon-on-the-Wall, 12.5 miles (20km)
Day 3: Heddon-on-the-Wall to Chollerford, 15 miles (24km)
Day 4: Chollerford to Once Brewed, 13.5 miles (22km)
Day 5: Once Brewed to Gilsland, 10 miles (16km)
Day 6: Gilsland to Carlisle, 18 miles (29km)
Day 7: Carlisle to Bowness-on-Solway, 15 miles (24km) (Note – I skipped Day 7, but included it in case you want to walk to the end of the trail.)
The best campsites near Hadrian’s Wall:
If you’re on a budget or are interested in camping along Hadrian’s Wall, here are some great options:
- Greencarts Farm — Hexham
- Rye Hill Farm — Hexham
- Winshields Campsite — Twice Brewed
More posts you may find useful:
Have you ever walked Hadrian’s Wall? What did you think of my Hadrian’s Wall hotel guide?
(Photos: Hadrian’s Wall Hideout photo courtesy of Airbnb, the George Hotel photo courtesy of booking.com, and the Howard Lodge photo courtesy of Howard Lodge.)
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I did a Hadrian’s Wall day hike while road tripping around England with my dad and brother this summer. It was incredible, but I don’t think I could do the whole thing!
That’s awesome! It’s a great place to do a day hike :) Also I’m jealous of your English road trip, sounds fun!