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Cragend & Crow Crags from Housesteads

Northumberland Walk

Nat Park - Northumberland

County/Area - Northumberland County

Author - Lou Johnson

Length - 8.4 miles / 13.7 km    Ascent - 900 feet / 273 metres

Time - 5 hours 10 minutes    Grade - easy/mod

Maps Ordnance Survey Logo Anquet Maps Logo

Ordnance Survey Explorer OL43Sheet Map1:25kBUY
Anquet OS Explorer OL43Digital Map1:25kBUY
Ordnance Survey Landranger 87Sheet Map1:50kBUY
Anquet OS Landranger 87Digital Map1:50kBUY

Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Cragend & Crow Crags from Housesteads
Click image to see photo description.

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.

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. 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.

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).

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.

Other walks nearby

Walk 1677 Peel Crags & Winshield Crags from Vindolandaeasy/mod7.8 miles
Walk 2671 Hotbank Crags & Housesteads from Vindolanda easy5.3 miles
Walk 1198 Hadrian's Wall & Steel Riggmoderate8.0 miles
Walk 2337 Greenlee Lough and Steel Riggeasy/mod7.5 miles
Walk 3404 Hadrian's Wall - Cawfields to Steel Riggeasy/mod3.5 miles
Walk 2803 Hadrian's Wall and Haughton Commonhard20.0 miles
Walk 1786 Hadrian's Wall & Simonburn circulareasy/mod6.8 miles
Walk 3343 Hadrian's Wall, Walltown Crags & Aesicaeasy/mod5.0 miles
Walk 1987 Allendale Town Circulareasy/mod6.6 miles
Walk 1477 Bellingham to Kiln Rigg by Pennine Way Circularmoderate14.3 miles

Recommended Books & eBooks

Hadrian's Wall Path

Hadrian's Wall PathHadrians Wall Path guidebook to walk the 84 mile National Trail. Described in both directions, the main description is west to east between Bowness-on-Solway and Wallsend, Newcastle, with extensions to Maryport and South Shields. With extensive historical information related to this World Heritage site and separate 1:25,000 OS map booklet included.
More information

Pennine Way Map Booklet

Pennine Way Map BookletMap of the 270 miles (435km) Pennine Way National Trail, between Edale in the Peak District and Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders. This booklet is included with the Cicerone guidebook to the trail, and shows the full route on Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps. This popular long-distance route typically takes three weeks to complete.
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