Greenhead is a stopping point on the Pennine Way and home to the Roman Army Museum. This gives you a specific walking route and Roman history as distinct focuses for planning your trip. If you’re looking for hotels in Greenhead, you can first consider whether you want your stay to focus mainly on walking, the museum, or a combination of both.
The Pennine Way and Getting There
The section of the Pennine Way from Greenhead to Bellingham follows Hadrian’s Wall and covers 8 miles (12.8 km). The named endpoints and distance outline a specific walking option; whether it fits into your day depends on your own pace and other plans. Greenhead is also a stopping point on the Pennine Way. The Hadrian’s Wall Bus takes visitors to Greenhead. If you’re planning to use this connection to get there, check the timetable before your trip.
Roman History and Buildings
At the Roman Army Museum in Greenhead, galleries explore the organisation, structure and discipline of the Roman army. These themes provide a common thread for considering the army as an organised unit from several perspectives. The full film Edge of Empire is shown in the museum cinema. The galleries and film offer different formats within the same museum, and you can include both in your visit plans.
Thirlwall Castle is a 12th-century castle on the banks of the River Tipalt. It was reinforced with stones from Hadrian’s Wall. The connection to the Wall is therefore also evident in the castle’s building materials: alongside the Roman structure stands a medieval one reinforced with its stones. These two historical connections offer a concrete way to understand the different phases of construction.
Walltown: Wall, Paths and Views
At Walltown Crags, a 410 m section of Hadrian’s Wall survives as standing masonry, with a maximum height of 2.2 m. The length and maximum height describe different dimensions of the surviving masonry. There are also several scenic circular walks in the Walltown area. This is a different type of route from the section between Greenhead and Bellingham: that route has two named endpoints and a stated distance, while the Walltown paths are described as circular walks. If you’d rather choose a circular walk than a route with two endpoints, you can take this type of path into consideration. Visitors to Walltown Country Park enjoy panoramic views across the national park.
Farmers’ Market and Finding Accommodation
A farmers’ market is held in Greenhead on the second Sunday of every month. If this date matters to your trip, confirm it in advance so you can factor a visit to the market into your choice of travel dates. Along with the walking route and museum, it offers another reason to visit that can shape your stay.
When looking for a hotel in Greenhead, it helps to weigh up these interests: the Pennine Way offers a named route with a start and finish, the museum focuses on the Roman army, and the market takes place on a Sunday each month. First decide which focus you’d like to make time for, then look for accommodation that suits your plans. Discover more destinations: Eglingham, Hexham, Warkworth, Longwitton, Matfen, Morpeth, Newbiggin-By-The-Sea, Gilsland.
For the broader travel overview: Northumberland.
