Published on Aug, 2022
This all-day tour with Alex was without a doubt one of the highlights of our visit to the UK and an experience we will never forget. Alex is a veritable fountain of knowledge about Roman and British history and was a thoughtful and considerate guide. The walk through pastures along Hadrian's Wall was both incredibly beautiful and a fantastic way to obtain a greater understanding of the history of the wall and Roman history in Britain. The landscape we hiked through was simply breathtaking. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in Roman or British history, archaeology, and/or who enjoys hiking and physical activity.
We had children aged 4, 8, and 10 and a senior aged 78 and the walk was about 7 kilometers and has terrain that goes up and down hills in several parts. The walk probably would take about 2-2.5 hours for an active adult or teen, but understandably took longer for our group. This was fine as we could savor the experience and walk at our own pace. Alex anticipated issues that might arise relating to physical safety and was always on the lookout for us, and he was so patient with the slower pace given our group needs. Despite this, he managed to get it all in the tour, with a slightly shorter visit to one of the Roman forts. Alex's driver, Bert, was just the best. He took care of our other senior who couldn't do the hike along the wall, escorted her to the Roman Fort for an easier visit, and zipped us all to the port in time to make our ship's departure from Newcastle.
One suggestion is to wear good shoes for walking, but with treads that are not so grooved so as to retain the cow and sheep droppings that are pretty much everywhere and unavoidable during the walk! We encountered many Brits with their dogs walking the trail and that also made the experience special as we felt we were experiencing part of the local traditions and activities rather than merely being on a touristy day trip.