Ancient Britain
Ancient Britain is based in Hexham, Northumberland, and offers a professional and friendly team to help you have a great time and enjoy the experiences available.
At Ancient Britain we use activities and traditional skills to help people connect to the landscape, the environment, and our shared cultural heritage so people develop a better relationship with the world around them.
Using the finest storytelling on our tours we create links to our predecessors. Their tales echo across time, as we find traces of them etched into the landscape.
We explore the origins of traditional skills. By taking part in bushcraft activities like fire lighting, guests better understand our ancestors amazing survival skills. By looking at the development of these traditional skills we provide context, so people see how our ancestors figured out new ways of doing cool stuff!
Activities at Ancient Britain include:
- Live Like A Roman
- Stones Circles
- Full Day Hadrian’s Wall Guided Tour
- Castles Of The Coast
- Hadrian’s Wall Guided Tour (2 Hours or 4 Hours)
We have also included their opening times and contact details. If you have any questions, you can contact the venue directly.
Facilities
Activities available in this location
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Contact
North Bank
Haydon Bridge
Northumberland
NE47 6LX
Gallery
Live Like A Roman
Age Appropriate
- Children
- Teenagers
- Adults
Location
- Indoor
During this tour you will experience what it is like to march along the Roman Wall that once marked the northern boundary of The Roman Empire.
Walk at your own pace, enjoying the stunning vistas of the National Park, and discover the remains of Hadrian's Wall, a milecastle, and the vallum, a defence ditch south of the wall.
Most importantly, you will discover what life was like on this frontier 2000 years ago.
After your 'march' along the wall, pitch a Roman marching tent, made from leather goat hides. Once you are nestled cosily inside your atmospheric tent, tuck into a delicious Roman themed light lunch. Some dishes will be familiar, some unusual, some you will need to try a few times.
After lunch you will de-camp.
Stones Circles
Age Appropriate
- Children
- Teenagers
- Adults
Location
- Outdoor
Discover three of Britain's ancient stone circle monuments, built by our Stone Age ancestors. Long Meg and Her Daughters, a stone circle ingrained with mystery and legend. The third largest stone circle in Britain it is hard to convey the scale of this monument.
We will provide you with some archaeological facts but also some of the legends, which are just as fascinating as the stones themselves.
Mayburgh Henge, is a very unassuming monument. Discreetly nestled into the landscape so much so that most people would drive past without even realising it's there. This wonderful site will reveal the purpose of these monuments and their importance to our Stone Age ancestors.
The final stop is the most breathtaking, Castlerigg Stone Circle. This stunning monument is certainly one of the oldest stone circles in Britain, and possibly one of the first ever stone circles to be constructed. Exploring this ancient site, surveying the mountains and valleys surrounding you, which were once so vitally important to our ancestors. It is a visceral experience, one which you will remember forever.
Full Day Hadrian’s Wall Guided Tour
Age Appropriate
- Children
- Teenagers
- Adults
Location
- Outdoor
Ancient Britain’s award-winning full-day tour ‘Roam with the Romans’ transports you back 2000 years to a time when Hadrian’s Wall was a frontier, a place where two cultures collided.
Our local guides, dressed in the authentic costumes of the era, weave a narrative from both sides of the wall, the tales of the natives, and the stories told by the occupying forces. Roman history comes to life when you discover just what Britain was like under the Caesars.
The Northumberland National Park provides a magnificent backdrop as we invite you to explore the hidden archaeological gems of the wall on foot, showing you our favorite sections of this breath-taking world heritage site.
After your ‘march’ it is time for a well-earned rest with a lunch break followed by visiting, 2 of the finest museums on the wall. The bestselling ‘Roam with Roman’s tour truly is the complete Hadrian’s Wall experience.
Castles Of The Coast
Age Appropriate
- Children
- Teenagers
- Adults
Location
- Outdoor
- Indoor
As the 'Border County' between England and Scotland, it is not surprising to learn that a great many battles have been fought throughout Northumberland in the past. Discover why Northumberland has more Castles than any other county in Britain. Some of the most icon places in Northumberland, Bamburgh, Warkworth or Alnwick. The Castles of the Coast tour is a must for anyone interested in the turbulent medieval history of Britain
- A Full day guided tour, in English, approximately 7 hours
- Admission to two of Northumberland’s finest Castles included
- Time for lunch is included in this tour - lunch not included in the tour price
- Distance: The tour takes place inside historic venues with good surfaces to walk on and outdoors with uneven paths to walk on.
- Easy Walk: Walking on paved surfaces and on some grass. Walking boots and warm, waterproof clothing are recommended
- Times: The tour runs throughout the year. Start time is 10:00am and finish time around 5:00pm. Booking is essential
- Toilet facilities available at the start location and at each venue throughout the tour
Hadrian’s Wall Guided Tour (2 Hours or 4 Hours)
Age Appropriate
- Children
- Teenagers
- Adults
Location
- Outdoor
2000 years ago this was a frontier, a place where two cultures collided. Your guide can happily weave a narrative from both the Roman perspective and the native perspective, providing both viewpoints.
The Romans always intended to conquer Britain. Julius Caesar wrote about the riches of the British Isles… and also of giants and monsters. While Caesar made initial contact with the peoples of Britain, a full scale invasion would take another 90 years.
Political turmoil in Rome was the catalyst for the new emperor, Claudius to bring his forces to the shores of Britain, changing the country forever.
On this Hadrians Wall guided tour, you will see a Milecastle, and one of the best preserved sections of the Vallum defence ditch. Cawfields also boasts some of the best views across the rugged moorland vistas of the Northumberland National Park.
- A 2 or 4 hour guided tour, in English.
- A leisurely walk along the slopes of the Whin Sill, a geographic feature which the Roman's used to their advantage
- Opportunities to view a Milecastle, exceptionally well-preserved parts of the wall & other archaeological features