Walks from Season Three - Lanercost Priory
Take in both the ruins of Lanercost Priory and the very much intact Lanercost Priory Church, before walking along part of the 84 mile Hadrian's Wall Path on this lovely walk through the Cumbrian landscape.
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A walk around Lanercost Priory - Walks Around Britain Shorts
Walk Info
Distance | 5½ miles (8.9km) |
Minimum time | 3 hours |
Total ascent | 431 ft (131m) |
Level of difficulty | Medium |
Paths | Well defined Public footpaths /bridleways & road walking 6 gates /4 stiles |
Map | |
Start/finish | Grid NY 55471 63644 |
Dogs? | Keep on leads |
Parking | Car Park at Lanercost Tea Room Check parking restrictions first |
Public Transport | Hadrian’s Wall Bus AD122 Spring-Autumn / Otherwise Service 685 to within 2½ miles |
Toilets/Refreshments | In Lanercost Tea Room |
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Route Directions
- Park in the car park at Lanercost Tea Rooms, ensuring you've followed the instructions on the signs around regarding parking restrictions.
- Walk towards the front of the tea rooms, and then head towards the gate in the far corner of the field in the distance.
- Go through the gate, and walk past Lanercost School House and several buildings before the road turns left.
- Climb up the hill still walking along the road. At Banks Foot Farm, a road splits to the right - ignore this and veer left, the carry on along the same road.
- At the signpost for the Hadrians' Wall Path, turn left, go through the kissing gate and follow the path as it snakes around the farm.
- The line of the Hadrians' Wall Path is clear, and follows fences and hedges on the right.
- Eventually, the path crosses Burtholme Beck via a footbridge.
- Continue to follow the clear path of the Hadrians' Wall Path.
- At the kissing gate, turn right and follow the road until a footpath sign points to the left through another kissing gate.
- Carry on along this footpath, which turns left, then right to avoid a field.
- This path comes out at a farm track. Turn left here, and follow the signs through Howgill House Farm.
- After the farm, a track branches off to the right - ignore this - and carry on.
- The path eventually reaches a road, and you turn right here.
- Pass Burtholme Farm on the left and right, and turn right along a footpath after crossing over Burtholme Beck again via the road bridge.
- This path follows the line of the beck for a while, but eventually turns left away from the beck. Follow the clearly marked path to the road bridge.
- Cross over the road, and rejoin the path on the other side of the bridge, keeping the river to your right.
- After the path has taken a sharp left, take the next left footpath to head back towards Lanercost Priory.
- The path enters the graveyard of the Priory and turns left, to bring you through a gate and out in front of the Priory.
- Retrace your steps to return to the car park.
Relevant Links
Visiting Lanercost Priory - English Heritage
Information about Lanercost Priory with opening times and prices from English Heritage.
Visiting Hare Hill - English Heritage
Information about the highest section of Hadrian's Wall still surviving, from English Heritage.
If you're thinking of visiting Lanercost Priory or Hare Hill, then consider becoming a member of English Heritage - not only gives you free access to over 400 historic places, but also helps keep England's heritage safe.
Details about opening times and services at the Priory Church of St Mary Magdalene.
Walking Hadrian's Wall Path - Mark Richards
Mark's excellent book detailing walking the Hadrian's Wall Path both from west to east and east to west, is not just essential research but also a cracking good read.
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