The best family-friendly hikes and walks around Waterhead

With its well-preserved sections of wall and nearby banks, turrets and a lime kiln, Hare Hill offers great insights into the Roman past. Along with the River Irthing crossing, this area must have been a veritable hive of Roman activity.

Everyday communications along Hadrian’s Wall would have been conveyed in a number of ways. Normally, detailed messages would have been by horseback. However, with the commanding views offered by Pike Signal Tower, it could also communicate with adjoining turrets either by smoke or by lit beacons using simple, predetermined codes. There is evidence that they also used a system of beams to transmit messages using a semaphore messaging system. It is a shame that very little is known of how the latter worked.

Well, we got here nearly at the end of our Hadrian's Wall hike for the day and had a bit of bad luck. Fancy turning up at one of the best Roman forts on Hadrian's Wall to be told it was closed because the wind was too strong and it might blow us off the wall. A place to come back to.

magnificent history tour - cafe for refreshments and shop for souvenirs

Award winning café in Gilsland. Closed on a Wednesday.

A short climb away lies the remains of the Pike Hill Signal Tower, a 2nd-century Roman watchtower strategically located along Stanegate—the military road that preceded the construction of Hadrian's Wall. The tower was part of a network of signaling posts that allowed Roman troops to quickly communicate between forts and watchtowers. From this vantage point, you have a commanding view of the surrounding landscape. The tower's position, diagonally positioned relative to the Wall, demonstrates the ingenious design of Roman engineers, focused on maximum visibility and military coordination. During the construction of Hadrian's Wall, the tower was integrated between two turrets: 51B and 52A, near the fort of Banna (Birdoswald).

Banks East Turret, also known as Turret 52A, is one of the best-preserved watchtowers along the western section of Hadrian's Wall. Built around 122 AD on the orders of Emperor Hadrian, this tower was part of an ingenious network: two turrets stood between each milecastle, manned by a handful of soldiers who guarded the boundary. The tower is built of stone, even though the wall here was originally turf—a rare example of early Roman engineering. You'll find an impressive section of wall reaching 1.75 meters high at the tower itself. The site offers panoramic views of the southern landscape, while the northern terrain is higher—a strategic yet surprising choice.

On a strategic rise above the River Irthing lies Birdoswald Roman Fort (Banna), one of the best-preserved forts along Hadrian's Wall. Built around 122 AD, it housed troops from countries including Dacia (modern-day Romania) and played a key role in defending the northwestern border of the Roman Empire. The fort lies on the longest continuous stretch of Hadrian's Wall still visible. Within the ruins, you'll find the remains of barracks, granaries, gates, and even a unique Roman drill hall. The visitor center offers interactive exhibits and original artifacts, including altars and inscriptions. Birdoswald is an ideal rest stop for cyclists following the Hadrian's Cycleway. The tearoom and the view make it a pleasant stop with historical depth.