Once Brewed to Gilsland

Once Brewed to Gilsland is the shortest standard stage, about 8 miles, and one of the finest. It crosses Winshield Crags, at 345 m the highest point of the trail, then Cawfields, the Nine Nicks of Thirlwall and Walltown Crags, before dropping past Thirlwall Castle to Gilsland on the Northumberland–Cumbria border.

Walking it, mile by mile

1. Around mile 42 · Steel Rigg · Worth knowing

   This is the most exposed stretch of the trail in bad weather.

2. Around mile 43 · Winshield Crags

   Winshield Crags, at 345 m the highest point of the whole trail.

3. Around mile 43 · Winshield Crags · Hardest part

   More crag-top ups and downs: short distances that take longer than the map suggests.

4. Around mile 45 · Cawfields

   Cawfields' knife-edge wall above the quarry lake, with a seasonal café at the car park.

5. Around mile 46 · Great Chesters

   Great Chesters, an unexcavated fort beside the path, free and usually empty.

6. Around mile 48 · Walltown Crags · Best moment

   Walltown's crag-top masonry: long runs of standing wall riding the Whin Sill, arguably the most dramatic wall-walking of all.

7. Around mile 49 · Thirlwall Castle

   Thirlwall Castle, built from scavenged Roman stone, sits below the western end of the crags.

8. Around mile 51 · Gilsland

   Gilsland straddles the Northumberland–Cumbria border. Poltross Burn milecastle, behind the old station, is one of the best preserved on the wall and most walkers march straight past it.

What you pass

Steel Rigg

The crag top above Once Brewed, at the western end of the most-photographed stretch. (around mile 42)

Winshield Crags

At 345 m, the highest point of the whole trail. (around mile 43)

Cawfields

Knife-edge wall above the quarry lake, with Milecastle 42's gate clearly visible. (around mile 45)

Great Chesters

An unexcavated, unticketed fort right beside the path: fifteen minutes alone with the Romans. (around mile 46)

Walltown Crags

Long runs of standing masonry riding the crags, with the Roman Army Museum at their foot. (around mile 48)

Thirlwall Castle

A castle ruin built from scavenged Roman stone, below the end of the crags. (around mile 49)

Food, water and practicalities

Seasonal café at Cawfields car park and the Greenhead Hotel just off-route. Gilsland is small, confirm dinner arrangements with your B&B in advance.

On this stage