Holiday Highlights
- The well preserved forts of Birdoswald and Vindolanda
- The rugged beauty of the North Pennines
- The view down the Tyne as you arrive in to Newcastle
- The picturesque market town of Corbridge
- The sense of achievement having ridden from coast to coast
- Following in the footsteps of the Roman Empire
Itinerary
Getting to Newcastle is easy. If you are planning to arrive by air, there is an airport at Newcastle with direct services to Newcastle Central train station. For those arriving by car, you will be able to leave your vehicle at your accommodation, or if the train is your preferred transport mode, you can either take a taxi from the station to your accommodation or it is just a short 10-15 minute walk away.

- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 200m
After a hearty breakfast, you will be met by our Skedaddle representative at your accommodation in Newcastle who will provide you with your hire bikes (if hiring), an Information Pack including route notes, maps and additional information for your trip. They will then transfer you to Bowness-on-Solway, a little village that sits on the stunning Solway Firth (an Area of Outstanding Beauty), which is a haven for wildlife. Our first day’s riding is a gentle introduction to the trip with a flat ride by the banks of the Solway Firth before arriving into Carlisle. This thriving regional city showcases some of the area’s historic treasures in the Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, and boasting Carlisle Castle; still welcoming visitors since Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobites.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 300m
Leaving the bustling city of Carlisle behind, you will cycle along a section that follows the picturesque river Eden and with photo opportunities at every turn, make sure you have your camera ready! The route gently undulates passing through Warwick Bridge to your accommodation in Brampton.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 650m
Your cycling today takes you through the pretty village of Lanercost with its hauntingly beautiful priory which was founded in 1165 by Augustinian canons before it takes you onto your first uphill section of the ride and goes directly past Birdoswald Roman Fort which stands high above a bend in the River Irthing, in one of the most picturesque settings on Hadrian’s Wall. A Roman fort, turret and milecastle can all be seen on this excellent stretch of the Wall. With probably the best preserved defences of any Wall fort, this was an important base for some 1,000 Roman soldiers. Passing the ruins of the 14th century Thirwall Castle, (built out of stone plundered from the wall), you will cross the Pennine watershed and gradually climb out of Greenhead before a welcome descent into the South Tyne Valley down into Haltwhistle. At Bardon Mill you head back up the South Tyne Valley to a summit at Smith’s Shield, before arriving at your accommodation at Twice Brewed.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 300m
After breakfast, you start your day with an exhilarating descent to Vindolanda, a Roman frontier military and civilian site, and a must for those in search of Roman history and culture. Dating back to just before the Wall was constructed, the 2,000 writing tablets (discovered just 30 years ago) form the earliest archive of written material in British history and are matched by similar tablets from the Eastern Frontier; it’s a sort of 360-degree view of empire life. A slight detour towards Housesteads provides outstanding views over Vindolanda and classic Hadrian’s Wall scenery. A cheeky climb takes you to Crindledykes, the highest point of the route (263 metres above sea level). You then drop towards Fourstones before passing through the market town of Hexham, towards the garrison town of Corbridge.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 150m
With all the major climbs behind you, the route begins to follow the valley floor towards Prudhoe. Passing through the pretty villages of Ovingham and Wylam, passing Robert Stevenson’s Cottage and then crossing the River Tyne twice, you will cycle along an old wagonway towards Newburn following the banks of the Tyne.

- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 300m
You can take your time on your last day by taking in views of the famous bridges across the river, including the “blinking eye” Millennium Bridge which you will cycle past, with the imposing Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art dominating the skyline. The Cycle Hub is situated on your right just after this and the perfect place for a well earned cuppa and a slice of delicious homemade cake. It’s dedicated to the cyclist and also the home of Saddle Skedaddle so why not come and say hello? Not far to the end now as you head into the heart of the shipbuilding area of the Tyne. On passing Wallsend – literally the “Wall’s end“, keep an eye out for Segedunum Roman Fort Museum if you fancy a little more Roman history to end your Hadrian’s Wall experience. Continuing along close to the river we soon reach the North Shields Fish Quay, where you’ll find a bustling little harbour and be able to sample some of the finest fish and chips in the North-East! You are now at the mouth of the Tyne and a few more pedal turns lead to your final destination, Tynemouth. Time to celebrate your achievement before we whisk you back to Newcastle.
Gallery
The Cycling
Terrain
Hadrian’s Cycleway runs mainly on country lanes and quiet roads, interspersed with sections of traffic-free path, promenade and riverside path. The coastal sections at either end of the route are relatively flat, but there are a few steep, short hills in the central section.
The majority of the route is paved, with a couple of short sections on hard-packed gravel. A hybrid bike is recommended, but a road bike fitted with touring tyres is also suitable when ridden with a little extra care.

Leisure Cycling Grade
Aspects of both our grade 1 and 2 holidays
Suitable for those looking for a relaxed ride
Occasional ups and downs
Our grading guidelines have been carefully created based on our many years of cycling experience, as well as customer feedback from our trips. Of course, if you're still struggling to figure out where you fit on the scale, do feel free to give us a quick call and we'll be more than happy to help!
For more information about our grading system click here.
Is this suitable for you?
Holidays that are graded as a 1-2, will have aspects of both our grade 1 and grade 2 holidays. These tours are still suitable for those looking for an accessible cycling holiday with manageable daily distances, along predominately flat terrain, however there will be some days / sections where we’d expect you to be up for a slightly cheeky challenge. It might be that the distances are a little longer on some days or that the terrain is slightly more undulating, but the rides are still relaxed and manageable for someone whose generally fit and healthy.
Dates & Prices
From April to mid-October you choose your start date. Just give us a call or drop us an e mail to check availability.
Whats Included 
A) Accommodation (shared twin rooms)
B) Meals as per the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
C) Skedaddle App to access holiday information and navigation
D) Detailed Skedaddle route notes and relevant maps
E) GPX files available upon request
F) Luggage transfer service
G) Skedaddle Local Representative
H) Emergency tool kit, pump etc. (if hiring your bike from Skedaddle)
What's not Included 
A) Personal clothing and equipment
B) Travel insurance
C) Bar bills, telephone calls, souvenirs, etc.
D) Bike & helmet hire (available if required)
E) Travel or flight costs and charges for travelling with your bike (if applicable)
F) Single room option (may be available if required)
G) Entrance fees to cultural or historical sites and visitor centres
H) Other optional activities
The Essentials
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Reviews
Tracy, KentWe can't wait to try another cycling holiday!We had so much fun on this holiday. The children loved staying in a different location each night, and it added to the adventure. Any complaints about the uphills soon disappeared when we landed on a fabulous descent. We didn’t know what to expect from this holiday, and it turned out to be one of the best. Thank you, we can’t wait to try another cycling holiday.
Brian, EssexVery happy!Excellent bikes on hire with good helmets and spacious paniers. Good and helpful transport from start to finish. Accommodation was with good facilities every time and very welcoming. Favourite day was cycling through pretty quiet Cumbrian villages and exploring Lanercost!