Cragend and Crow Crags from Housesteads

This Northumberland walk includes Hadrian's Wall and the Pennine Way. The route crosses some rough ground which can be rather boggy after heavy rain.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.78 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 198 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 193 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 312 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 222 m

Description of the walk

(S/E) There is a car park beside the B6138 (grid ref. NY793683) or you can reach the start using the Hadrian's Wall bus service AD122 which runs from April through to September. From the car park walk north towards Hadrian's Wall and follow the wall west. The path continues along the top of Housesteads and Cruddy's Crags to reach the Pennine Way (grid ref. NY7816860.

(1) Turn right (north) onto the Pennine way and follow the well marked trail north to Cragend. The onward path is clearly marked and takes you into Wark Forest at a ladder stile.

(2) After just over 200 metres (grid ref. NY780709) bear right onto the path leading to a cottage at Haughtongreen (grid ref. NY787712). Continue on the path signed to "Lonborough" to exit the forest at grid ref. NY790716). From this point the next objective is Crow Crags and you need to leave the path to Lonborough and follow a less distinct path heading ENE (not marked on OS maps) that leads across Crow Crags to a sheepfold (grid ref. NY798720). The path (indistinct at times) leads to a footbridge, Cross this and continue across what can be quite boggy ground to Stell Green (grid ref. NY807722).

(3) From Stell Green take the track heading south and follow this back to Hadrian's Wall at Sewing Shields. Turn right along the wall and follow the clear path over this well preserved and scenic section back to Housesteads (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 225 m
  2. 1 : km 1.51 - alt. 295 m - Turn right
  3. 2 : km 4.24 - alt. 249 m - Bear right
  4. 3 : km 7.42 - alt. 253 m - Stell Green, turn right
  5. S/E : km 13.78 - alt. 225 m

Practical information

The walk starts from Vercovicium, now known as Housesteads Roman Fort, which was an auxiliary fort on Hadrian's Wall and follows one of the best preserved sections of the wall before looping north to Cragend and across open country to Crow Crags before returning to follow Hadrian's Wall from Sewing Shields back to the start.

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