Corbridge Circular River and Fort Walk

This Northumberland village is in a lovely spot on the River Tyne, just east of Hexham. It's a fine place for a stroll with a historic Roman Fort and a pleasant riverside trail to try.
This walk from the town explores the Roman Fort before heading along the River Tyne and visiting the nearby Dilston Castle.
Walk Report October 5th 2026 By James Walker:
We started our walk at Corbridge Roman Town, just outside the village, and spent some time exploring the remains before setting off towards the River Tyne.... The Roman site is well worth allowing time for, as it gives you a much better idea of Corbridge's importance than you might get from simply looking at the ruins. We walked along the remains of the old main street and looked at the buildings that once served the soldiers, traders and local residents. The museum is another highlight, particularly the Corbridge Hoard, which includes Roman armour, weapons and personal possessions buried in a chest nearly 2,000 years ago. It is remarkable to think that these everyday objects survived for so long underground, and they give the history a much more personal dimension than the remains of walls and foundations alone.
From the Roman site, we followed the path towards the River Tyne and the old stone bridge at Corbridge. Completed in 1674, the bridge has seven arches and survived the severe floods of 1771, which destroyed many other crossings in the area. Standing by the river, it's easy to appreciate why this has long been an important route through the Tyne Valley. We crossed the bridge and continued along the riverside paths, enjoying the views over the water and the surrounding countryside. This section provides a welcome change after the Roman remains, with the river and its banks becoming the main focus of the walk.
We continued towards the point where the River Tyne meets Devil's Water. The character of the walk changes here, with the smaller watercourse, its weir and the sound of moving water making this one of the most attractive sections of the route. I stopped to look at the falls and watch the water passing over the weir before following the footpath south towards Dilston. The riverside scenery makes a lovely contrast with the historic town and Roman site at the start, and it is worth allowing time to enjoy this quieter stretch rather than hurrying straight on to the castle.
At Dilston, we came to the old chapel and the atmospheric ruins of Dilston Castle. The surviving tower house dates from the 15th century, and its weathered stonework makes it a particularly photogenic place to explore. The castle is also connected with the history of the Earl of Derwentwater, a local landowner who supported the Jacobite rising of 1715 and was executed for treason the following year. Knowing something of that story adds another layer of interest to the ruins; this is not simply an old building beside a stream, but a place tied to a turbulent period in Northumberland's history. I took time to look around before retracing our steps towards Corbridge.
Back in Corbridge, we found there was more to explore beyond the Roman site. The village centre has attractive old buildings and independent shops, cafés and traditional pubs, making it a pleasant place to finish the walk with something to eat or drink. St Andrew's Church is particularly interesting, with much of its stonework incorporating material taken from Hadrian's Wall. The church also has a fortified vicar's tower, known as the Vicar's Pele, a reminder of the unsettled times when even church buildings sometimes needed defending. The entrance doors are an unusual modern detail too: they were donated by actor Rowan Atkinson in memory of his mother, who was a parishioner.
At around four miles, this is a manageable circular walk, but I would leave enough time to explore the Roman site and museum as well as the river and castle. I enjoyed the variety: Roman history at the beginning, attractive riverside paths in the middle and the atmospheric ruins at Dilston before returning to Corbridge. The route gives you a good introduction to this part of Northumberland, and the village itself is worth lingering in after the walk rather than heading straight home.
Pubs and More Info
Back in the village the Black Bull is a good choice for some post walk refreshments. The historic pub dates back to 1755 and includes a cosy interior with a coal fire. Outside there's a pretty garden area for warmer days. They do very good food and can be found at Middle Street with a postcode of NE45 5AT for your sat navs.
The Dyvels Inn is another good option if the weather is good. They have a larger garden area and also provide accommodation. You can find them on Station Road at postcode NE45 5AY.
A stroll through the town is also very pleasant with a number of fine little shops. Another must see here is the Church of Saint Andrew which dates back to the 7th century. The Church was built largely from stone taken from Hadrian's Wall. The entrance to the Church is through glass doors given by actor Rowan Atkinson and etched in memory of his mother, a parishioner of the church. The site also includes a 14th century Vicar's Pele, one of only three fortified vicarages in the county.
Head north of the village and you will soon come to the famous wall where you can pick up the epic Hadrian's Wall Path. If you follow the waymarked trail west you can visit Chester's Roman Fort, one of the highlights on the wall. Also known as Cilurnum it is considered to be the best preserved Roman cavalry fort along Hadrian's Wall. The site is now preserved by English Heritage an includes a museum, housing finds from the fort and elsewhere along the wall.
If you follow the wall east it will take you to Welton and the Whittle Dene Reservoir where there are good wildlife watching opportunities.
Also of note is the nearby Aydon Castle. The 13th century castle has delightful grounds with a circular walk along the Cor Burn and the walled orchard. It's located just a mile north east of the village centre.
If you follow the river south east it will take you to the neighbouring village of Riding Mill. There's a train station and a 17th century pub here.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Northumberland Walks and North Pennines Walks pages.

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Nearby Routes

Hexham Tyne Green Country Park Allen Banks and Staward Gorge Weardale Way Slalely Forest Pow Hill Country Park and Derwent Reservoir Blanchland Hexham to Corbridge Aydon Castle Whittle Dene Reservoir Haydon Bridge Colt Crag Reservoir Hallington Reservoir Bardon Mill Sweethope Loughs Riding Mill Sandhoe

Photos

Corbridge Bridge. Completed with seven arches in 1674, it was the only bridge over the River Tyne to survive the very destructive floods of 1771.

Roman bridge at Corbridge. These massive blocks of dressed stone formed part of the original ramp leading to the Roman bridge at Corbridge (some way upstream from the present bridge). In 2004, they were rescued from the bed of the river and re-erected some distance from the original site.

Main Street, Corbridge

The River Tyne at Corbridge

Mouth of Devils Water as it reaches River Tyne. Located near Dilston, home of the jacobite Earl of Derwentwater

Dilston Scout Camp Site. This is a lovely secluded corner.

Dilston Weir and Fish Ladder on Devil's Water

Dilston Castle.  A ruined 15th-century tower house and Grade I listed building.

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