Carlisle and Hadrian's Wall

This is the border end of Cumbria: the city of Carlisle and the Roman frontier running east from it. On this site the area covers Carlisle itself, the small market town of Brampton, Lanercost Priory, the fort at Birdoswald and the village of Gilsland, which straddles the line with Northumberland.

Carlisle has the most history per square metre of anywhere in the county: a castle that has been besieged more often than almost any in England, a red sandstone cathedral, and Tullie House museum with its Roman and Border Reivers collections. East of the city the Wall itself becomes visible, with the best Cumbrian stretch around Birdoswald and Gilsland, where the remains stand high above the River Irthing gorge.

It is ideal for history, for walking the Hadrian's Wall Path in sections, and for anyone using Carlisle's rail connections as a base. The Wall country is good in any season, though the open ground is exposed in winter. Summer brings the dedicated Hadrian's Wall bus, which makes linear walks easy. Allow a full day for Birdoswald and the Irthing gorge, and another for Carlisle's castle, cathedral and museum.

Be realistic about what remains in Cumbria. West of Birdoswald much of the Wall has been robbed for building stone and survives as earthworks rather than masonry, so if standing stone is the goal, head east. Carlisle's ring road can be slow at rush hour, and the city is far from the fells, so it suits a short break better than a Lakes holiday.