Day trip

Hadrian's Wall & Roman Britain 1-Day Tour from Edinburgh

Day trip

Hadrian's Wall & Roman Britain 1-Day Tour from Edinburgh

Activity provider: Rabbie's Small Group Tours

From US$ 67.48 per person

Eco-certified

Enjoy a day spent discovering the highlights of Roman Britain and Hadrian’s Wall on this small group tour from Edinburgh. Journey through the heart of the Scottish Borders and 2,000 years of history to the last frontier of the mighty Roman Empire.

About this activity

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Duration 11 hours
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Live tour guide
English

Experience

Highlights
  • Enjoy a visit to the Vindolanda Roman Army Museum
  • Discover the remains of Hadrian’s Wall
  • Explore Birdoswald, one of the best preserved Roman forts along the length of Hadrian’s Wall
  • Stop at the border town of Jedburgh to visit the remains of the Augustinian Abbey
  • Visit the village of Lanercost, the western gateway to Hadrian’s Wall
Full description

Travel south from Edinburgh on the old Roman Dere Street that linked the supply ports in the south of England with the ancient city of York. Then go north past Hadrian’s Wall to the Roman settlements in Central Scotland.

Your first stop on this tour will be in the border town of Jedburgh, a historic burgh that lies only 12 miles north of the Scotland-England border.

Here you have time to take a short walk through the narrow streets that lead to the remains of the Augustinian Abbey, which has been a great symbol of power during its 900 year history. Continuing south you make a brief stop at scenic Carter Bar on the edge of the Cheviot Hills. This crossing point between Scotland and England runs close to the ancient Roman road and has formed the border between the 2 countries for the past 700 years.

The tour continues through the magnificent forests of Northumberland National Park before turning west towards the remains of Hadrian’s Wall. Follow the road taking you along the south side of the wall, stopping at Steel Rigg where you come face-to-face with large sections of the wall’s remains. Here, you can visit the Vindolanda Roman Army Museum and experience the life of a Roman soldier for yourself.

Take time to walk along the wall and experience the isolation that Roman foot soldiers would have experienced as they guarded their empire from the barbarians to the north.

You continue your journey west along the wall towards the village of Lanercost, the western gateway to Hadrian’s Wall.

After pausing for lunch you travel a short distance to Birdoswald, one of the best preserved of the 16 Roman forts along the length of Hadrian’s Wall. Enjoy time to explore this fascinating site and further sections of the wall before you turn north for the return journey. Traveling through the Galloway hills, stop in the Victorian spa town of Moffat before continuing through the Southern Uplands and Scottish Borders, and returning to Edinburgh.

Includes
  • Entry to the Vindolanda Roman Army Museum (from April 1, 2023)
  • Transportation
  • Experienced driver/guide
  • Meals and refreshments
  • Entry fees not mentioned

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Participants

Date

Meeting point

Meet at Edinburgh Bus Station.

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Important information

Know before you go

  • From April 1, 2023, admission to Vindolanda Roman Army Museum will be included in tour price. Before April 1, 2023, the visit is optional and tickets can be purchased on the tour. If the Vindolanda is closed, you will visit Housesteads Roman Fort as an alternative
  • The return time is around 7:00 PM
  • Time off the bus gives you opportunities to take nature walks. It is recommended to bring suitable clothing and footwear for your tour
  • The minimum age to participate is 5 years
  • You're restricted to 14 kilograms (31lbs) of luggage per person on the tours. This should be one piece of luggage similar to an airline carry-on bag (approximately 55cm x 45cm x 25cm / 22in x 17in x 10in) plus a small bag for onboard personal items
Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.7 /5

based on 193 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.9/5
  • Transportation
    4.8/5
  • Service
    4.8/5
  • Organization
    4.8/5

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Star rating:

Excellent day trip. Nice small group and incredible and engaging guide. Plenty of stops for tours and pictures Had the perfect amount of time at all the sites was never rushed but also not sitting around waiting to leave. Cannot recommend this tour enough!

March 23, 2023

I really enjoyed this tour. I visited a Hadrian's wall - a great experience. We could walk for a while next to the wall. I wish here more time because we didn't see an iconic tree (saw it just from far). Then we were in a fort Vindolanda. For me it was stunning moment. Very nice preserved Roman fort with a museum. During driving our tour guide talk about history, nature or culture. But I wish little bit more time just for me in a silence.

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March 23, 2023

The day was long but it was well organized. Jeff was our tour guide and he was great; he was very knowledgeable, personable, patient, and practical with his advice. He kept the program moving, gave us a lot of Scotland history, yet gave us older folks time to rest our legs, make toilet stops and get something to eat. It was a very pleasant experience.

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March 23, 2023

Product ID: 41120