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The Western Wall Short Break

This is the wall's quieter half, and the one with the ending. Arrive in Gilsland, walk past the longest standing stretch of wall to Birdoswald and on down the Irthing and Eden valleys to Carlisle, then cross the Solway marshes to the shore at Bowness, where the frontier ran out of land. There are no crags, but there is a 19-mile day, so it asks for stamina rather than climbing legs. You can start from either end at the same price, and it pairs naturally with the Whin Sill Short Break if you're walking the wall in instalments.

Walking days
2
Nights
3
Distance
≈33 miles / 54 km
From
£375 pp

At a glance: The Western Wall Short Break is a self-guided walk from Gilsland to Bowness-on-Solway on Hadrian's Wall (≈33 miles / 54 km) in 2 walking days and 3 nights. Typical day: 14–19 miles, no big climbs. Hardest day: Day 1 of walking, Gilsland to Carlisle (19 miles). B&B with breakfast, daily luggage transfers and a trip pack and app are included, from £375 per person sharing or £590 in a single room.

Start from the east (Gilsland) or the west (Bowness-on-Solway), same price.

Booking now for 2026 and 2027

Check dates & get a firm price Read the day-by-day
The Western Wall Short Break, a self-guided Hadrian's Wall walking holiday from Gilsland to Bowness-on-Solway.

Your route & overnight stops

The dots mark where you sleep on this itinerary. Start from the east (Gilsland) or the west (Bowness-on-Solway), same price.

Solway Firth N Gilsland east end Carlisle Bowness west end
Overnight stop on this trip Walk east–to–west or west–to–east Original schematic, not to scale

Walk this trip day by day on the route map →

Is this the right itinerary for you?

Choose it if…

  • You have a long weekend and want to reach the end of the wall.
  • You're happy walking 14 to 19 miles on mostly level ground.
  • You've already walked the central crags, or plan to, and are doing the wall in sections.
  • You like the idea of a night in a historic city halfway through.

Think again if…

  • You want the dramatic crag-top wall of the postcards; that's the Whin Sill Short Break.
  • A 19-mile day is well beyond anything you've walked before.
  • You want the full coast-to-coast achievement; this is 33 miles of 84.

Difficulty, honestly: Moderate to demanding, and the demanding part is distance, not height. There's nothing here like the Whin Sill climbs, but the Gilsland to Carlisle stage is 19 miles, the longest day on the whole trail, and the Solway day that follows is another 14 on flat but unshaded ground. Regular walkers who can manage a long day and get up for another will be fine. Start from the west end and the long day comes second, on tired legs, which is worth weighing.

Day by day

Included: 3 nights in hotels or B&Bs, 3 breakfasts and 2 luggage transfers, shown day by day below. Distances are approximate; exact overnight stops depend on availability and are confirmed with your booking.

Day 1: Arrive in Gilsland

Walking:
None, travel day
Feels like:
Anticipation
  • Hotel or B&B in Gilsland
  • Breakfast next morning

Make your way to Gilsland, a small village on the border between Northumberland and Cumbria, and settle in for the night. If you arrive with daylight to spare, the Poltross Burn milecastle behind the old railway station is a two-minute stroll and one of the best-preserved on the whole wall, a good first look at what you've come for.

Your trip pack and the Trip Tracker app have the details of the next two days. Eat well and get an early night: tomorrow is the longest day on the trail.

Worth knowing: Haltwhistle is the nearest station, a short taxi ride away. Gilsland is small, so accommodation is confirmed at booking and may involve a short included transfer.

Day 2: Gilsland to Carlisle

Distance:
≈19 miles / 31 km
Terrain:
Irthing gorge, then long lowland pasture and riverside
Feels like:
Long and steady, the stamina day
  • Hotel or B&B in Carlisle
  • Breakfast next morning
  • Luggage moved to Carlisle

The day opens with the best of the western wall. The longest continuous stretch of standing wall leads out of Gilsland to Birdoswald fort, perched high above the Irthing gorge, and it's worth slowing down for: you won't walk beside better-preserved masonry anywhere. Soon after, the stone runs out, carted off centuries ago to build Lanercost Priory and much of Carlisle, and the wall becomes a line you follow rather than a thing you touch.

From there it's a long, low march through Cumbrian pasture and quiet lanes to Crosby-on-Eden, then beside the River Eden into Carlisle through Rickerby Park. Nineteen miles is a real day. Start early, keep a steady pace, and save the castle, cathedral and Tullie House museum for the morning.

Worth knowing: Café at Birdoswald early on and a pub at Crosby-on-Eden later; carry lunch for the miles between. Carlisle has every service, including pharmacies for blister repairs.

Day 3: Carlisle to Bowness-on-Solway

Distance:
≈14 miles / 23 km
Terrain:
River path, then flat marsh road
Feels like:
Long, flat and atmospheric, watch the tides
  • Hotel or B&B in Bowness-on-Solway
  • Breakfast next morning
  • Luggage moved to Bowness-on-Solway

You leave Carlisle along the Eden and head out onto the Solway Plain, flat, wide-skied and nothing like the valleys behind you. Through Burgh-by-Sands, where Edward I died on the marshes waiting to invade Scotland, the path follows the shoulder of the estuary road across open saltmarsh, with Scotland close across the firth.

The wall ends at the little pavilion on the shore at Bowness-on-Solway, the site of the Roman fort of Maia. It's quiet, salt-scented and a long way from anywhere, which is exactly how the end of an empire's frontier ought to feel.

Worth knowing: Two short sections of the marsh road can flood at very high tides; check tide times before you set off. Pubs at Burgh-by-Sands and Bowness, and the King's Arms at Bowness keeps a book for walkers to sign. Accommodation at Bowness is limited, so your stop is confirmed at booking and may involve a short included transfer.

Day 4: Depart from Bowness-on-Solway

Walking:
None, travel day
Feels like:
The end of the wall, reached

Breakfast, and homeward. Bowness is remote, so the journey starts with a bus or taxi back to Carlisle, where the station connects you to the rest of the country. Most walkers leave with the same thought: the middle section, the crags, is still waiting.

Worth knowing: The bus service from Bowness to Carlisle is limited, so check current times before you travel or pre-book a taxi. We're happy to help arrange it.

Questions walkers ask about this itinerary

Can I start from Bowness and walk east instead?

Yes, at the same price. The stages simply run in reverse: Bowness to Carlisle first, then Carlisle to Gilsland, so the 19-mile day comes second, on legs that have already done 14 miles. Walking east, the prevailing westerly wind is usually at your back. For getting there, the west end means rail to Carlisle and then the limited bus or a taxi out to Bowness; you finish at Gilsland, a short taxi from Haltwhistle station. Starting from the east end, as scheduled, you arrive via Haltwhistle and leave from Bowness via Carlisle.

How hard is it, honestly?

There are no real climbs, but the first walking day is 19 miles, the longest single stage on the trail. If you regularly walk 12 to 15 miles and feel fine the next day, you'll manage. If your longest walk is eight miles, build up first or look at splitting the long day.

Can I split the Gilsland to Carlisle day?

Yes. Adding a night at Brampton turns it into two comfortable days; ask when you enquire. It's the same split the Explorer's Crossing uses.

Does it join up with the Whin Sill Short Break?

Exactly. The Whin Sill Short Break covers Chollerford to Gilsland and this one covers Gilsland to the sea, so together they make up the central and western wall. Many walkers do one this year and the other next.

What if I can't finish a day?

It happens, and it isn't a crisis. Roads and bus routes run close to the trail, so a local taxi or bus can take you on to your accommodation and you can carry on the next morning. Taxi costs are yours.