Short answer
The Hadrian's Wall Path passport is a card you stamp at seven places along the trail, from Segedunum at Wallsend to Bowness-on-Solway. It runs from Easter to 31 October; collect all seven stamps and you can buy a completion badge and certificate. Every full coast-to-coast crossing passes all seven.
The short answer
The Hadrian's Wall Path passport is a small card you stamp at seven places along the trail, from Segedunum at Wallsend to the promenade at Bowness-on-Solway. It runs from Easter to 31 October, for conservation reasons. Collect all seven and you can buy a completion badge and certificate. Every full coast-to-coast crossing passes all seven stamps.
How the passport works
National Trails runs the passport scheme. The season runs from Easter until the end of October; for conservation reasons, the trail's managers also encourage walking between April and October.
You can buy a passport online from the National Trails' Trail Gift Shop, or on the trail at Segedunum, the Robin Hood Inn, The Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre, Walltown Country Park, and at Bowness House Farm and the King's Arms in Bowness-on-Solway. When all seven stamps are in it, the completion certificate and achievers' badge are bought separately, from the Trail Gift Shop.
The passport isn't part of any holiday package, ours included: it's a few minutes' errand to pick one up before you set off, or on your first day at Segedunum.
The seven stamps, east to west
| Stamp | Where | About trail mile |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Segedunum Roman Fort, Wallsend | 0 |
| 2 | Robin Hood Inn, near East Wallhouses | 21 |
| 3 | Chesters Roman Fort, Chollerford | 31 |
| 4 | Housesteads Roman Fort | 40 |
| 5 | Birdoswald Roman Fort, near Gilsland | 52 |
| 6 | Sands Centre, Carlisle | 70 |
| 7 | The Banks promenade, Bowness-on-Solway | 84 |
Trail miles are measured from Wallsend along the path and rounded; see the route map for where each one falls. Several stamps sit at forts and visitor buildings with their own opening hours, so on a long day check the times for the ones you'll reach late. National Trails publishes the current list, and locations can change from year to year, so check it before you go.
Which stamps each itinerary passes
Every itinerary walks past the stamps below on its walking days. On the full crossings you collect all seven; on the short breaks you collect the ones on your section.
| Itinerary | Stamps passed |
|---|---|
| Three-Day Wall Challenge | All seven, over three days |
| Four-Day Crossing | All seven; the Robin Hood Inn is at the end of your first walking day |
| Five-Day Crossing | All seven |
| Classic Crossing | All seven; Segedunum on day 1, Housesteads on day 3, Bowness on day 6 |
| Coast to Coast at Ease | All seven |
| Rested Crossing | All seven |
| Explorer's Crossing | All seven, with an arrival day that leaves time for Segedunum before you start |
| Unhurried Wall | All seven |
| Chollerford to the Sea | Five: Chesters, Housesteads, Birdoswald, Carlisle and Bowness |
| Western Wall Short Break | Three: Birdoswald, Carlisle and Bowness |
| Whin Sill Short Break | Two: Housesteads and Chesters |
The two short breaks are a natural pair for a passport collector: walk one this year and the other another year, and you'll have five of the seven.
Collecting them without losing time
- Segedunum is where the trail begins, and the fort is worth time of its own. On itineraries with an arrival day, that afternoon is the natural moment; trying to fit the museum and the fifteen miles to Heddon into one morning is a classic first-day mistake.
- The Robin Hood Inn near East Wallhouses is the natural lunch stop between Heddon and Chollerford, so the stamp and the sandwich come together.
- Chesters is a short stroll from the bridge at Chollerford, at the end of the day, which is why it fits so well.
- Housesteads is right on the path, but the visitor centre sits below the fort, a stiffish climb away.
- Birdoswald comes early on the long day from Gilsland to Carlisle, along the best stretch of standing wall in the west.
- The Banks promenade at Bowness is the finish. The King's Arms in Bowness keeps a book for finishers to sign, too.
Questions walkers actually ask
When is the Hadrian's Wall passport season?
From Easter until the end of October each year. National Trails runs it in that window for conservation reasons, and the trail's managers encourage walking between April and October.
How many stamps are there in the Hadrian's Wall passport?
Seven: Segedunum Roman Fort at Wallsend, the Robin Hood Inn near East Wallhouses, Chesters Roman Fort at Chollerford, Housesteads Roman Fort, Birdoswald Roman Fort near Gilsland, the Sands Centre in Carlisle, and the Banks promenade at Bowness-on-Solway. Collect all seven and you can buy the completion badge and certificate.
Where can I buy a Hadrian's Wall passport?
Online from the National Trails' Trail Gift Shop, or on the trail at Segedunum, the Robin Hood Inn, The Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre, Walltown Country Park, and Bowness House Farm and the King's Arms at Bowness-on-Solway. The completion badge and certificate are sold separately once you have all seven stamps.
Can I collect the stamps walking west to east?
Yes. The stamps are at fixed places on the trail, so the direction you walk makes no difference to collecting them; you simply meet them in the opposite order, starting at Bowness.
Is the passport included in your holidays?
No. It's sold by National Trails, and buying it yourself takes a couple of minutes. Every one of our full coast-to-coast crossings walks past all seven stamps, and the table above shows which stamps each short break passes.
Sources
- National Trails, Hadrian's Wall Path trail information: https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/hadrians-wall-path/trail-information/ (season, where to buy, badge and certificate)
- Northumberland National Park, 20 facts about the Hadrian's Wall Path: https://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/hwpath20/20-facts-about-hwpnt/ (seven stamp locations)