The urban east: Segedunum
The most completely excavated fort, with original Wall and a full-scale reconstruction — 3 minutes from the Metro. Here the Wall is a city story, not a wilderness one.
§ Interactive guide · Rome's northern English frontier
Hadrian's Wall, mile by mile: what survives and where to stop
From Wallsend to the Solway, 73 miles of Wall, ditch, Vallum, forts and turrets — but not all alike. The ribbon below is the whole Wall at a glance: the real elevation crest, every stop in its place, the car-free route beside it.
- 73 miles, 80 Roman milesThe Wall was organised in Roman miles (about 1.48 km); the modern length depends on definition.
- 16 forts, 7 verified milecastlesTwo thirds of the forts are earthworks or nothing visible — the labels say which.
- No car neededTrain + Metro + 5 bus routes cover both ends and the crags. Timetables dated, with live links.
§ The instrument · profile, map, panel
The frontier ribbon
The crest below is the real elevation, east to west. Its marks are forts, milecastles, turrets, museums and stations — each at its distance along the Wall. Pick a mark, search a name, or walk the arrow keys.
Loading the ribbon…
The interactive ribbon could not load.
Every place is listed below, with the same information.
fort
verified milecastle
turret
nominal mile
approximate position
No mark passes the filters.
Widen the filters to see the ribbon again.
The upper ruler counts Roman miles (I–LXXX), the lower kilometres. Small ticks are the nominal 1.48 km grid; solid marks are verified positions. The full method is at the end of the page.
§ Four contrasts
Beyond the crowded centre
The crags between Housesteads and Cawfields draw the most visitors. But the Wall starts in a shipyard and ends in an estuary — with a live dig in between. Four stops that rescale the whole frontier:
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The quiet west: Bowness
At the Solway end no high wall survives. What survives is villages, churches of Roman stone and estuary light — plus the end of the 84-mile trail.
The crags: Steel Rigg
The Wall on the dolerite edge, Sycamore Gap steps away. The loveliest and busiest stretch: come early or save it for last.
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The live dig: Vindolanda
South of the Wall, one of the few places where the frontier is still dug every year. Its writing tablets are ‘Britain’s Top Treasure’.
§ 16 forts, east to west
Fort by fort
All 16 forts on the Wall line, in order, with what remains of each, what the ground is like and how to reach them without a car. Four hold major remains (Segedunum, Chesters, Housesteads, Birdoswald); the rest run from earthworks to nothing visible. The status label tells the truth briefly.
Segedunum, Wallsend
Segedunummile 0 · km 0 · Roman mile c. 1 · 25 m- What shows
- The most completely excavated fort on the Wall: barracks, stables, headquarters, baths rediscovered in 2014, in-situ stretches of original Wall and a full-scale reconstruction.
- Ground
- Mostly level open-air site; 35-metre viewing tower with lift.
- Access
- Metro to Wallsend, then a 3-minute walk; bus 22 from Newcastle.
- Tickets & hours
- Paid entry; free under 22 and for NE28 residents. Daily 10–5 until 21 September 2026, shorter in winter (checked 14.09.2026).
- Limit
- The eastern end: original Wall vanishes quickly westward, under the town.
See on the ribbon →Source: Hadrian's Wall Country · North East Museums
Pons Aelius, Newcastle
Pons Aeliusmile 3.4 · km 5.4 · Roman mile c. 4 · 22 m- What shows
- The fort at the Wall's first eastern end, before the extension to Wallsend. It lies under the Norman Castle; nothing of the fort is visible.
- Ground
- City centre.
- Access
- Newcastle Central station and city-centre Metro stops, a few steps away.
- Tickets & hours
- The Roman site is not visitable; the Castle takes a ticket.
- Limit
- Come here for the city and the museum, not for the fort.
Condercum, Benwell
Condercummile 5.6 · km 9 · Roman mile c. 6 · 120 m- What shows
- The fort is built over. What survives is the temple of Antenociticus in the civilian settlement and the only visible Vallum causeway, a stone crossing toward the fort.
- Ground
- Suburban streets; the Vallum crossing is external viewing only.
- Access
- City buses from Newcastle; no direct Wall link.
- Tickets & hours
- Free, daylight hours.
- Limit
- The garrison, Asturian cavalry from northern Spain, is known from inscriptions, not standing walls.
Vindobala, Rudchester
Vindobalamile 12.2 · km 19.7 · Roman mile c. 13 · 127 m- What shows
- The fourth fort from the east. Low grassy banks and a rock-cut cistern, the Giant's Grave, are all that shows. The Mithraeum dug in 1953 is not visible.
- Ground
- Private pasture, no visitor infrastructure.
- Access
- No direct public transport; the nearest bus point is Heddon-on-the-Wall.
- Tickets & hours
- No managed access published.
- Limit
- No managing body publishes visiting information; do not make a special trip.
Hunnum, Halton Chesters
Hunnummile 19.4 · km 31.2 · Roman mile c. 21 · 181 m- What shows
- A fort with an unusual reversed-L plan. No Roman masonry shows; building lines sometimes read in the grass. A dedication tablet of the governor Platorius Nepos came from here.
- Ground
- Farmland, no visitor infrastructure.
- Access
- No direct public transport; Corbridge station is a few kilometres south.
- Tickets & hours
- No managed access published.
- Limit
- A site for reading the landscape, not for standing walls.
Cilurnum, Chesters
Cilurnummile 24.8 · km 40 · Roman mile c. 27 · 68 m- What shows
- The best-preserved cavalry fort in Britain: some 500 cavalry, the finest military bath house in Britain, the Clayton Museum with John Clayton's collection. The Roman bridge abutment stands on the far bank.
- Ground
- Generally flat, wheelchair accessible; the bath house has restricted access (bring a companion). Gravel path and mown grass.
- Access
- The 122 bus stops at the fort all year; from Hexham station (5.5 miles) take the same 122. 20% off entry with a bus ticket.
- Tickets & hours
- Paid entry. Daily 10–5, last entry 4.30pm (checked 14.09.2026).
- Limit
- Historic steps in the bath house; the museum is dark on entry (motion sensor).
Procolitia, Carrawburgh
Procolitiamile 28.3 · km 45.5 · Roman mile c. 31 · 225 m- What shows
- An afterthought fort (c. 130) with its structures under the turf, showing as earthworks. Beside it, the temple of Mithras (c. 200–350) and Coventina's Well. Given to the nation in 2020.
- Ground
- Uneven field, muddy, sometimes flooded; unsuitable for wheelchairs and buggies.
- Access
- No direct public transport; on foot from Chesters or the Wall trail.
- Tickets & hours
- Free, daylight hours; the national park car park charges.
- Limit
- The fort itself is not excavated for display; the visible piece is the temple.
Vercovicium, Housesteads
Vercoviciummile 33 · km 53 · Roman mile c. 36 · 263 m- What shows
- Britain's most complete Roman fort, on the Whin Sill escarpment: four gates, headquarters, granaries, hospital, barracks, latrines, and the Wall running along the crags both ways. National Trust owned, English Heritage run.
- Ground
- A 750-metre climb up a steep gradient from car park to fort; very steep in places inside. Limited wheelchair access, with a companion; accessible parking at the top, arranged on arrival.
- Access
- The 122 Hexham–Haltwhistle bus stops at the fort. 20% off entry with a bus ticket.
- Tickets & hours
- Paid entry; free for EH/NT members. Daily 10–5, last entry 4.30pm (checked 14.09.2026).
- Limit
- The visitor centre was closed in September 2026; coffee cart and toilets at the car park and fort.
Aesica, Great Chesters
Aesicamile 38.5 · km 62 · Roman mile c. 42 · 204 m- What shows
- Turf-covered remains on a low ridge above the Caw Burn; the quadruple defensive ditch shows at the north-west corner.
- Ground
- Pasture, no visitor infrastructure.
- Access
- No direct public transport; on foot from Walltown or Cawfields on the Wall trail.
- Tickets & hours
- No managed access published.
- Limit
- The Wall here is a low grassy stone mound; come for the landscape and the quiet.
See on the ribbon →Source: National Heritage List for England 1010976
Magnis, Carvoran
Magnismile 41.1 · km 66.1 · Roman mile c. 45 · 193 m- What shows
- A Stanegate-road fort predating the Wall. Excavation continues beside the Roman Army Museum; garrisons included Syrian archers.
- Ground
- A live dig beside the museum; the museum is accessible.
- Access
- The 122 and HW1 buses at the museum (Walltown); the 685 at Greenhead.
- Tickets & hours
- Museum ticket; seasonal hours, check the Vindolanda Trust site.
- Limit
- What you see of the fort depends on the dig's progress.
Banna, Birdoswald
Bannamile 44.2 · km 71.2 · Roman mile c. 48 · 157 m- What shows
- A well-preserved fort raised after the frontier's first turf phase: standing gates, granaries, a long Wall stretch running west, and displays on frontier life.
- Ground
- Exhibition and surroundings flat and wheelchair accessible, including the excavated area; some uneven ground and short inclines (with a companion). Accessible parking nearby.
- Access
- The HW1 Carlisle–Walltown bus stops at the fort; change to the 122 at Greenhead. Brampton (8 miles) and Haltwhistle (7 miles) stations are far.
- Tickets & hours
- Paid entry. Daily 10–5, last entry 4.30pm (checked 14.09.2026).
- Limit
- Long grass and ground-level masonry in the fort; an unguarded drop to the south — supervise children.
Camboglanna, Castlesteads
Camboglannamile 51.4 · km 82.7 · Roman mile c. 56 · 44 m- What shows
- The twelfth fort from the east. The site lies under the gardens of Castlesteads House; we could verify no visitable remains. The I Aelia Dacorum, a cohort of Dacians, is attested here.
- Ground
- Private property, no published access.
- Access
- No direct public transport; the HW1 passes nearby (Banks, Lanercost).
- Tickets & hours
- No access.
- Limit
- The only fort on our list with nothing confirmed to see — kept for the map's honesty.
Uxelodunum, Stanwix
Uxelodunummile 59.3 · km 95.4 · Roman mile c. 64 · 26 m- What shows
- The largest fort on the Wall (3.96 ha), buried under Carlisle's Stanwix suburb. Only masonry displayed in a hotel car park and a low graveyard bank show. Since 2017 the bath house has been dug at the cricket club.
- Ground
- Residential suburb.
- Access
- City buses from Carlisle; Carlisle station is about 2 km away.
- Tickets & hours
- The site is not visitable; the finds are at Tullie House.
- Limit
- The 1,000-strong cavalry garrison (ala Petriana) reads in the museum, not on the ground.
See on the ribbon →Source: Heritage Gateway · Historic England Research Records
Aballava, Burgh-by-Sands
Aballavamile 64 · km 103.1 · Roman mile c. 70 · 17 m- What shows
- The fort is gone; Roman stone is reused across St Michael's church, manor houses and farms. A village occupied continuously since Roman times; Edward I died here in 1307.
- Ground
- Flat village, narrow streets.
- Access
- The 93 Carlisle–Bowness bus stops in the village, a few times a day.
- Tickets & hours
- The church welcomes visitors.
- Limit
- Do not look for the fort; look for Roman stones in the village walls.
Coggabata, Drumburgh
Coggabatamile 68 · km 109.4 · Roman mile c. 74 · 10 m- What shows
- A small fort buried under the village, at the southern end of the Solway fords. Its exact plan is disputed (2025 geophysics does not confirm the old hypotheses). Drumburgh Castle is built of Roman stone, with an altar in the doorway.
- Ground
- Coastal village at the marsh edge.
- Access
- The 93 bus stops in the village.
- Tickets & hours
- The castle is a private home; seen from the road.
- Limit
- The most uncertain ground on the route: nearby milecastle 76 is not securely located either.
Maia, Bowness-on-Solway
Maiamile 71.2 · km 114.6 · Roman mile c. 77 · 12 m- What shows
- The fort at the western end, under the village; Roman stone in the buildings and the Norman church. The 84-mile National Trail starts (or ends) here. Firths, birds, sunsets over the Solway.
- Ground
- Coastal village, very narrow streets, no public car park.
- Access
- The 93 from Carlisle, a few times a day (plus the Sunday 93S); check the timetable the day before.
- Tickets & hours
- Free access in the village and on the trail.
- Limit
- A moving full stop, not an archaeological site: come for the landscape and the trail-passport stamp.
Beyond the curtain
Six places off the Wall line without which the frontier makes no sense: two on the Stanegate (Vindolanda, Corbridge), one supply fort (Arbeia) and three outposts (Maryport, Ravenglass, Bewcastle).
Vindolanda
mile 34.2 · km 55.1 · Roman mile c. 37 · 257 m- What shows
- A Stanegate fort south of the Wall: the writing tablets ('Britain's Top Treasure'), live digs every year, a museum of finds only from its own ground.
- Ground
- A hilly, steep-in-places site; the museum fully accessible; about 70% of the site with assistance. Long gradient between entrances (drive between them).
- Access
- The 122 bus at West Gate car park (seasonal, from April); the 685 bus at Bardon Mill (2 miles); Bardon Mill station 2 miles.
- Tickets & hours
- Paid entry. Open daily from 9.30am; closing time varies by season.
- Limit
- Not on the Wall but south of it — pair it with Housesteads (a 7.5-mile circuit links them).
Corbridge Roman Town
mile 20.1 · km 32.4 · Roman mile c. 22 · 219 m- What shows
- The Empire's most northerly town, founded before the Wall: a Roman main street you still walk, the Corbridge Hoard, the Corbridge Lion, and a museum of finds from the site.
- Ground
- Mostly accessible; the main street is uneven historic stone. 2 accessible bays 3–4 metres from the entrance.
- Access
- The 684 (Hexham) and 685 (Newcastle) buses at Corbridge; Corbridge station about 1.5 miles (25 minutes on foot). 20% off with a bus ticket.
- Tickets & hours
- Paid entry. Daily 10–5, last entry 4.30pm (checked 14.09.2026).
- Limit
- A town, not a Wall fort — the civilian half of the frontier.
Arbeia, South Shields
mile 0 · km 0 · Roman mile c. 1 · 25 m- What shows
- The supply fort at the Tyne mouth: full-scale reconstructions (commanding officer's house, west barrack, gate), granary and HQ footings, the Regina and Victor tombstones, the Tigris boatmen.
- Ground
- Managed site, accessible.
- Access
- Metro to South Shields (the nearest station, Hadrian's Wall Country), then on foot.
- Tickets & hours
- Free entry; seasonal hours (check the site).
- Limit
- Beyond the Wall to the east — half a day from Newcastle.
Alauna, Maryport
mile 71.2 · km 114.6 · Roman mile c. 77 · 12 m- What shows
- The largest Roman port on the Cumbrian coast: fort and settlement with a Spanish regiment, linked to the Wall by a chain of coastal defences. The Senhouse Museum is next door.
- Ground
- Coastal site with museum.
- Access
- Maryport station, on the coast line (from Carlisle).
- Tickets & hours
- Small museum ticket; open-air site.
- Limit
- The coastal system continues the Wall south-west — another story, another day.
Glannoventa, Ravenglass
mile 71.2 · km 114.6 · Roman mile c. 77 · 12 m- What shows
- The bath house with walls to about 4 metres — among the tallest Roman structures in northern Britain. A 1,000-strong fort, occupied 300+ years, a supply port.
- Ground
- Short, free access.
- Access
- Ravenglass for Eskdale station, on the coast line (National Rail).
- Tickets & hours
- Free all year (English Heritage).
- Limit
- Dozens of kilometres south-west of the Wall — for devotees only.
Fanum Cocidii, Bewcastle
mile 46.4 · km 74.6 · Roman mile c. 50 · 149 m- What shows
- A hexagonal outpost north of the Wall, held by a Nervan German cohort; the Maiden Way road linked it to Birdoswald. Beside it: the 7th-century Bewcastle Cross.
- Ground
- Churchyard, small free exhibition.
- Access
- No public transport; by car only, on narrow lanes.
- Tickets & hours
- Free access.
- Limit
- The frontier beyond the frontier: come for the cross and the solitude.
§ Index
Find a milecastle or turret
Of the 80 milecastles, numbered 1 to 80 from east to west, seven have verified positions and remains described by official sources (solid outline). The rest sit on the nominal 1.48 km grid (dashed outline) — an index, not a survey. Touch a number to see it on the ribbon.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- 79
- 80
Verified turrets
- Turret 7B, Dentonmile 6.8 · km 10.9 · Roman mile c. 7 · 70 m
- Turret 26B, Bruntonmile 24.2 · km 39 · Roman mile c. 26 · 85 m
- Turret 29A, Black Cartsmile 26.7 · km 42.9 · Roman mile c. 29 · 208 m
- Turret 48A, Willowford (east)mile 43.4 · km 69.8 · Roman mile c. 47 · 135 m
- Turret 48B, Willowford (west)mile 43.7 · km 70.3 · Roman mile c. 48 · 132 m
- Turret 51A, Piper Sikemile 46 · km 74.1 · Roman mile c. 50 · 141 m
- Turret 51B, Leahillmile 46.3 · km 74.6 · Roman mile c. 50 · 148 m
- Turret 52A, Banks Eastmile 46.9 · km 75.6 · Roman mile c. 51 · 153 m
- The Walltown turretmile 40.2 · km 64.7 · Roman mile c. 44 · 234 m
Wall lengths and temples
- The Wall at Heddon-on-the-Wallmile 10.6 · km 17.1 · Roman mile c. 12 · 123 m
- The Wall at Planetreesmile 23.6 · km 37.9 · Roman mile c. 26 · 178 m
- Willowford: wall, turrets and bridgemile 43.1 · km 69.3 · Roman mile c. 47 · 143 m
- Sycamore Gapmile 34.8 · km 56 · Roman mile c. 38 · 264 m
- Limestone Cornermile 27.3 · km 44 · Roman mile c. 30 · 235 m
- The Benwell templemile 5.5 · km 8.8 · Roman mile c. 6 · 120 m
- The Benwell Vallum crossingmile 5.6 · km 9 · Roman mile c. 6 · 120 m
- Lanercost Priorymile 48.2 · km 77.5 · Roman mile c. 52 · 102 m
Museums and centres
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§ Four days
Plan a day without a car
Four days built only from links verified in September 2026: train, Metro and three bus routes. Timetables change — each day says what to check before leaving.
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City day: the urban east
- Shape
- Newcastle in the morning (museum + castle), Wallsend in the afternoon (Segedunum). Optional: Arbeia, by Metro toward South Shields.
- Services
- Metro only (Yellow line). No long walking: Segedunum is 3 minutes from the Metro, with lifts.
- Limit
- The only day on this list that works in winter and rain — the museums stand in for weather.
Crags day: Housesteads and Sycamore Gap
- Shape
- Train to Hexham, the 122 bus to Housesteads: the fort in the morning (a 750 m climb), then along the crags to Sycamore Gap and back to The Sill for the bus. Long option: the 7.5-mile Housesteads–Vindolanda circuit.
- Services
- Train + 122 (Go North East; year-round, thinner in winter).
- Limit
- The Housesteads climb is steep; the last bus leaves early. Check the 122 timetable that morning.
Birdoswald day: the middle west
- Shape
- The HW1 from Carlisle to Birdoswald: the fort + the long Wall + the Harrows Scar trail (10–15 minutes). Then the HW1 to Walltown (Roman Army Museum) and back to Carlisle.
- Services
- The HW1 about hourly, Monday–Sunday except bank holidays (2026 timetable). Change to the 122 at Greenhead/Walltown.
- Limit
- The fort has long grass and uneven ground; wear boots, not city trainers.
Solway day: the quiet west
- Shape
- The 93 bus from Carlisle: Burgh-by-Sands (the church of Roman stone), Drumburgh (the castle of Roman stone), Bowness (the trail end, the estuary).
- Services
- The 93 a few times daily Monday–Saturday + the Sunday 93S. The thinnest link: plan the return before leaving.
- Limit
- Here you see villages, churches and estuary light, not forts. For walls, pick another day.
The links, briefly
Bus 122 (formerly AD122)
- Route
- Hexham–Haltwhistle via Chesters, Housesteads, The Sill, Vindolanda, Walltown and Greenhead; hourly in season. English Heritage describes it as year-round; frequency drops in winter. Check the current timetable.
- Validity
- Renumbered 122 from 19 July 2026; daily in the main season.
Source: Go North East
Bus HW1
- Route
- Carlisle–Walltown via Brampton, Lanercost, Banks, Birdoswald, Gilsland and Greenhead; about hourly, Monday–Sunday, no bank holidays. Meets the 122 at Walltown/Greenhead.
- Validity
- New for 2026; timetable valid 5 January 2026 – 3 January 2027 (checked 14.09.2026).
Source: Cumberland Council
Bus 93/93S
- Route
- Carlisle–Bowness via Burgh-by-Sands, Drumburgh and Port Carlisle; a few buses daily Monday–Saturday, plus the Sunday 93S. The thinnest link on the Wall: check the timetable the day before.
- Validity
- Validity from 1 December 2025 (checked 14.09.2026).
Source: Cumberland Council
Newcastle–Carlisle trains (Tyne Valley line)
- Route
- Northern, via Metrocentre, Prudhoe, Stocksfield, Riding Mill, Corbridge, Hexham, Haydon Bridge, Bardon Mill, Haltwhistle, Brampton and Wetheral. Bardon Mill has a thinner service — check first.
- Validity
- Timetable 17 May – 3 October 2026 (checked 14.09.2026).
Source: National Rail
Newcastle Metro
- Route
- The Metro to Wallsend (a 3-minute walk to Segedunum) and to South Shields (for Arbeia).
- Validity
- A permanent link; check planned engineering works.
Source: North East Museums
Bus 685/85
- Route
- Newcastle–Carlisle via Hexham and Haltwhistle; calls at Bardon Mill and Greenhead. The year-round backbone when the 122 is thin.
- Validity
- A permanent local service; check the current timetable.
Source: Vindolanda Trust
Bus 684
- Route
- Hexham–Corbridge. Check the current timetable.
- Validity
- A permanent local service.
Source: English Heritage
§ Honesty
What survives — and what the map cannot tell you
On the ribbon, solid means visible, hollow means buried or nominal. But the map alone cannot separate some essentials. Reconstructions (the Segedunum Wall, the Arbeia buildings) show how it once looked; original stone shows what survived. Reburied digs (a routine conservation practice) are invisible though their positions are certain. Private land hides whole forts (Rudchester, Castlesteads). And the west, from Banks to the Solway, is largely invisible: the turf wall leaves no masonry, and villages sit on forts.
,_next_to_Hadrian’s_Wall_UK.jpg){kind=link}
Sycamore Gap deserves a word of its own. The roughly 200-year-old sycamore, one of the Wall’s most photographed symbols, was felled by vandals in September 2023. The National Trust has fenced the stump, from which 25 shoots grow, given away 49 saplings (‘Trees of Hope’) and displays a length of trunk at The Sill. Our photograph is from 2018 and stays dated as such.
The best habit on the Wall: read the panel before the stones. Two heaps of stone — turrets 51A and 51B near Birdoswald — proved the turf wall ran all the way to the coast. Without the story, they are only stones.
_04.jpg){kind=link}
§ Method and sources
How we built the page
The Wall was organised in 80 Roman miles, but its length in modern miles depends on definition: who measures what. Every published figure we found, side by side:
| Source | Figure | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| English Heritage | 73 miles (117.5 km) | The Wall, Wallsend–Bowness |
| English Heritage (original design) | 80 Roman miles | Wallsend–Burgh-by-Sands, at about 1.48 km to the mile |
| UNESCO, summary | 118 km | Hadrian’s Wall |
| UNESCO, statement of value | 130 km + 36 km | Tyne mouth–Solway, plus the coastal defence |
| National Heritage List for England | 70 miles | Boilerplate in the listing texts |
| Hadrian's Wall Country | 73 miles (117 km) | The Wall, Bowness–Wallsend |
| National Trails (the Path) | 84 miles (135 km) | The walking trail, longer than the Wall |
| Our route line | 114.6 km (71.2 miles) | 45 route points, cumulative ellipsoidal distance |
A Roman mile is about 1.48 km (English Heritage); 80 Roman miles make about 118.4 km. Our line runs about 2.5% short of the published 117.5 km because straight chords cut the Wall’s bends — and verified milecastles fall systematically up to 2 km east of the nominal grid, by exactly that percentage. The grid is an index, not a survey; nominal mile 80 overshooting Bowness is shown on the ribbon, not hidden.
The 16 forts are the standard count (English Heritage, the heritage list): Segedunum to Maia, excluding the Stanegate forts, the outposts and the coastal ports. We keep those separate, on the same page.
The elevation profile is derived from Terrarium elevation tiles (SRTM data, public domain), sampled at about 200 metres and lightly smoothed; cross-checking against independent SRTM gives ±5 metres. The ribbon’s highest point is about 322 metres (smoothed) while the Winshields trig point stands at 345 metres: the difference comes from smoothing and from SRTM understating sharp peaks.
Route geometry and positions marked ‘OSM’ come from OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL licence. Verified fort points also use Roman Inscriptions of Britain, and milecastle 39 is triangulated with Pleiades (3 metres apart). Photographs are from Wikimedia Commons, with author and licence on each image, stored locally.
Transport and opening hours were checked on 14 September 2026 and they change: bus AD122 became the 122 in July 2026, the train timetable runs to 3 October 2026 and the HW1 to 3 January 2027. Every transport claim links the live operator; check the timetable before leaving.
Accessibility is reported only from the managing bodies’ statements (English Heritage, the National Trust, the Vindolanda Trust, North East Museums), separated into terrain, surface, steps, parking, toilets and transport. Where the body is silent, we say the information is unpublished.
Principal sources (verified links)
- English Heritage — the property histories and visiting pages: Hadrian's Wall, Housesteads, Chesters, Birdoswald, Corbridge
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Frontiers of the Roman Empire (430)
- Hadrian's Wall Country — the official partnership and the attraction pages
- Vindolanda Trust — vindolanda.com
- North East Museums — Segedunum
- National Trust — Sycamore Gap
- Roman Inscriptions of Britain — romaninscriptionsofbritain.org; Pleiades — Milecastle 39
- Cumberland Council — the HW1 timetable; Go North East — the 122 timetable; National Rail — train times
- OpenStreetMap — © contributors, ODbL; Terrarium/SRTM elevation (US public domain)