Haltwhistle Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

Haltwhistle is a market town in Northumberland, along the route between Newcastle and Carlisle, with a population of 4650 in 2021. It contrived to be named for a railway halt over 600 years before that railway arrived: Hautwysel means a hill between two forks of a river.

Hadrian's Wall is the main reason to visit, the Roman frontier defence built in 122 AD. Its best sections are along the ridge between Hexham and Haltwhistle.

Greenhead is a village 3 miles west, with a population of 340. The wall here descends from the ridge to the lowlands and becomes less distinct. Greenhead is across the watershed and boundary into Cumbria, but it's convenient to describe here.

Haltwhistle is off A69 near its highest point at Greenhead. This is a good fast road, mostly dual-carriageway, which bypasses the village. It crosses the spine of the country at relatively low level, so it's kept open in the worst of winter when A66 may be closed. Cyclists may use the local section but will do better to follow the parallel cycleway, Route 72.

Trains run every 30 min from Newcastle upon Tyne (some starting from Nunthorpe near Middlesbrough), taking an hour via Metrocentre, Prudhoe, Corbridge and Hexham. They continue west via Brampton to Carlisle, another 30 min.

54.968-2.46361 Haltwhistle station is central in the village. It's unstaffed, with ticket machines but no toilets or waiting room. There is step-free access to Platform 1 for Newcastle, and via the road to Platform 2 for Carlisle.

Stagecoach Bus 685 runs hourly from Newcastle Eildon Square, taking 1 hour 40 min via Heddon-on-the-Wall, Corbridge, Hexham and Haydon Bridge. It continues to Greenhead, Brampton, Warwick Bridge and Carlisle, another 55 min.

Bus AD122 follows B6318 along Hadrian's Wall, ideal for one-way hikes then a ride back to your vehicle or lodging. It runs daily every two hours from Hexham to Chesters, Housesteads, The Sill, Vindolanda, Walltown, Haltwhistle and Greenhead. Your bus ticket gets you a discount at the Roman sites.

Tyndale Link 681 runs four times M-Sa from Alston to Haltwhistle, Greenhead, Gilsland and Birdoswald Roman Fort.

The village is small, but you need wheels or the bus to reach sights along Hadrian's Wall.

Sproul Taxis are on +44 7712 321064.

Hadrian Cycling does bike hire (including e-bikes) at 5 Greencroft next to the Leisure Centre, daily 7:30AM-8:30PM.

Sights along Hadrian's Wall are described on that page but briefly cross-referenced here.

• Holy Cross & St Cuthbert's is Haltwhistle's Anglican church, dating to the 13th century though much remodelled over the years. It's on Market Square, open M-Sa 10:30AM-2PM, Su 9:30-11AM.
• 55.0136-2.33031 Housesteads Roman Fort is the most complete Roman fort in Britain.
• 54.9911-2.36082 Vindolanda is a large fort astride Stanegate, the coast-to-coast Roman highway.
• 55.0036-2.37393 Sycamore Gap alas is now Gap Gap, as its iconic tree was vandalised in 2023.
• 54.9954-2.46464 Great Chesters or Aesica was a fort guarding the Caw Gap, where a stream runs through. Not much here except a few foundation courses.
• 54.9858-2.52245 Roman Army Museum, Greenhead CA8 7JB, ☏ +44 16977 47485. Daily 9:30AM-5:30PM. Small but fascinating museum. Magnae Roman fort lies somewhere beneath the adjacent field. Adult £8, chid £5 or combi with Vindolanda. (updated Aug 2024)
• Thirlwall Castle is a dilapidated 13th century stump half a mile north of Greenhead.
• 54.9894-2.60236 Birdoswald Roman Fort is a large fort west of Gilsland village.
• Naworth Castle: see Brampton for this fine country mansion further west, but it's not open to the public.

• The Pennine Way is Britain's best-known long-distance hiking trail. From the south it approaches along the fells above the scenic valley of the South River Tyne. It crosses A69 into Greenhead to run east coincident with Hadrian's Wall Path as far as Housesteads. It then strikes north towards the Cheviots along the Scottish border.
• Haltwhistle Leisure Centre has three outdoor heated pools (Apr-Sep), a gym and fitness classes. It's on Greenholme Rd west side of the village, open M-F 9AM-8PM, Sa Su 10AM-4PM.
• Golf: Haltwhistle GC is half a mile north of Greenhead. White tees 5532 yards, par 69, visitor round £10 M-F, £15 Sa Su.
• Haltwhistle Carnival is probably next held on Su 13 July 2025, tbc.

• Sainsbury's supermarket is on Fair Hill, open M-Sa 8AM-9PM, Su 10AM-4PM.
• Coop Food on Haltwhistle Main St is open 7AM-10PM daily.
• Greenhead Farmers Market is second Sunday of the month in the village hall 10AM-2PM. Haltwhistle market is no longer held.

• Cafes along Main St are Bonnie's, Yellow Bird, Pillar Box and Snack Bar. These plus the pubs (below) are your best chance of a sit-down meal, the rest serve takeaways to enjoy on your motorbike in the rain.
• 54.9738-2.52541 Blenkinsopp Castle Inn, Greenhead CA8 7JS, ☏ +44 1697 747757. Country pub on the Blenkinsopp estate serving excellent food with real ales and a decent wine list. They have rooms. Inn 3-11PM, food 5-8PM. (updated Aug 2024)

• Main Street has Brew Bar, The Black Bull, Railway Hotel and Jubilee Inn.
• Mead and honey is produced by Northumberland Honey on the industrial estate west edge of the village.
• Once Brewed is a small settlement along B6318 coming from the east, and its name becomes more baffling coming from the west, when it morphs into "Twice Brewed". The inn here has rooms.

"This Hartwhistle is a Little town, there was one Inn but they had noe hay nor would get none, and when my servants had got some Else where they were angry and would not Entertaine me, so I was forced to take up in a poor Cottage wch was open to ye Thatch . . "

- Celia Fiennes (1662-1741) wrote a travelogue of England in an era when leisure travel was exceptional, especially by a woman on horse-back.

• Centre of Britain Hotel, Main St, Haltwhistle NE49 0BH, ☏ +44 1434 322422. Friendly comfy place with restaurant in village centre. B&B double £140. (updated Aug 2024)
• Belford House is a B&B next to Centre of Britain Hotel.
• Manor House Hotel, Main St, Haltwhistle NE49 9AH, ☏ +44 1434 322588. Pleasant place with restaurant. B&B double £110. (updated Aug 2024)
• Old School House, Fair Hill, Haltwhistle NE49 9EE (north side of village), ☏ +44 1434 312013. Great reviews for this welcoming 5-room B&B. B&B double £140. (updated Aug 2024)
• The Grey Bull is self-catering accommodation at the east end of Main St.
• 54.982-2.53321 Greenhead Hotel, Main Rd, Greenhead CA8 7HB, ☏ +44 16977 47411. The main accommodation in Greenhead, hotel and restaurant with hostel opposite. B&B double £150, hostel bunk £16. (updated Aug 2024)
• 54.9523-2.49492 Haltwhistle Camping & Caravan Site, Park Village, Burnfoot NE49 0JP, ☏ +44 1434 320106. Pleasant well-run site in Bellister Wood. Pitch £23. (updated Aug 2024)

As of Aug 2024, Haltwhistle and the A69 have 4G from all UK carriers, with mostly good coverage on the other approach roads. 5G has not reached this area.

• Hexham has an abbey and preserved village centre.
• Brampton is the next sizable town west along the wall, which here is little more than an earthwork.
• Alston is a small market town at the north end of the Pennines.