Leave Windermere Tourist Information Centre at 9:15am, and travel into the Lake District National Park, an area known for its mountainous fells, forests and lakes. Gaze out of the window to take in the scenery, then pass north to Penrith and beyond, into the Debatable Lands north of Carlisle.
Stop at Lanercost Priory to see a church built within the ruins and some stained glass windows, designed by pre-Raphaelite Sir Edward Burne-Jones. Then, head to Hadrian’s Wall where you’ll spend the longest portion of your tour, walking past the towers and “milecastles” that dot the route.
After lunch at the Roman Army Museum (own expense), you’ll continue along Hadrian’s Wall to see key points of interest such as the Fell End and Sunny Rigg. Pass the Great Chester fort and have your camera ready for Steel Rigg — one of the wall’s most photo-worthy spots.
Finally, stop at Vindolanda, an old Roman fort where the ancient Vindolanda writing tablets were found. These important records of Roman life were deemed “Britain’s top treasure,” as the oldest surviving handwritten documents in the country. Take a look inside the Vindolanda museum to see a large collection of artifacts from the extensively excavated site.
Your day trip ends with a drop-off at the start point in Windermere.
