Steel Rigg Circular Walk
This circular walk explores the area to the east of the Steel Rigg car park on Hadrian's Wall. It takes you to the famous tree at Sycamore Gap and the fascinating Housesteads Roman Fort on Hadrian's Wall.
The walk starts from the Steel Rigg car park at postcode NE47 7AN for your sat navs. From here you can pick up the Hadrian's Wall Path and follow the waymarked trail east to the iconic tree. The photogenic tree sits in a dramatic dip next to Hadrian's wall and was featured in the film 'Robin Hood Prince of Thieves'.
The path continues east past the pretty Crag Lough to Hotbank Crags and the Roman Fort at Housesteads. The fort is one of the highlights on the wall and includes a visitor centre with a wealth of information. The site dates from AD 124 and includes a barracks block, hospital, Commander's House, granaries and communal toilets which are all still visible today.
After exploring the fort you continue east past Kennel Crags and Clew Hill to King's Hill. Here you turn north west to pick up an alternative footpath heading west past Broomlee Lough and Ridley Common. Around here you could take a detour north along the Pennine Way to visit Greenlee Lough.
This walk continues west past Peatrigg before returning to the car park.
Postcode
NE47 7AN - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locationsSteel Rigg Circular Walk Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Steel Rigg Circular Walk Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Steel Rigg Circular Walk OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Steel Rigg Circular Walk Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Pubs/Cafes
Head to The Twice Brewed Inn for some post walk refreshments. Here you can enjoy home-cooked meals in a comfy, cosy restaurant with a roaring fire. There's car parking, cycle storage and a nice beer garden for warmer weather too. They also offer tours of their brew house in an area with a brewing tradition dating back nearly 2,000 years. If you need to stay over they have several rooms with fine views over the area. You can find the pub near the car park and viewpoint at a postcode of NE47 7AN.
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
Head west from the car park and you can walk to Birdoswald. There's another well preserved fort and an excellent English Heritage Visitor Centre and museum here. There's also some nice trails through the Irthing Valley and a visit to the village of Gilsland on the border with Cumbria. Here you can visit the splendid Crammel Linn waterfall which sits in a wonderful river gorge north of Gilsland.
Also nearby is the lovely Allen Banks and Staward Gorge near Bardon Mill. This National Trust owned area includes lovely peaceful river and woodland trails with lots of wildlife to see. Near here you can also pick up the Haydon Bridge Walk from the riverside village. The walk will take you to the historic Langley Castle which dates from the 14th century. In the village itself there's a fine 17th century inn and a noteworthy 14th century bridge over the river to see too.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Northumberland Walks and Northumberland National Park Walks pages.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
Crags under Steel Rigg
Crags at Steel Rigg, 1974 Under Hadrian's Wall, looking towards Crag Lough and Hotbank.
From Steel Rigg viewpoint. Crag Lough and Highshield Crags in centre of picture, Hotbank Crags to rear left.
Entrance to Car park at Steel Rigg Viewpoint
Hadrian's Wall footpath Sycamore Gap
Housesteads Crags Seen from "the gap with no name", Hadrian's Wall and National Trail follow the top of Housesteads Crags (to the right). Beyond the near woodland, the wall drops to the "Busy Gap", more properly known as the Knag Burn Gateway. Beyond that again can be seen Clew Hill and Kings Hill