Description
Sycamore Gap
The Sycamore Gap walk starts at the Sill car park (at Twice Brewed). The Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre is Northumberland National Park’s new visitor attraction and will excite and inspire people of all ages to explore the landscape, history, culture and heritage of Northumberland.
The tree is one of most photographed in the country. It stands in a dramatic dip in Hadrian’s Wall in the Northumberland National Park. The 1991 film ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’, starring Kevin Costner, was filmed here. The tree has been known as The Robin Hood Tree ever since.
The start
Sycamore Gap is only a short distance East from The Sill, but we will start by walking up to Hadrian’s Wall.
Winshield Crags – The highest point
From the car park we will walk up the road to the Hadrian’s Wall Path. Then we will climb to the highest point on Hadrian’s Wall and the highest point on the walk, Winshield Crags.
Steel Rigg and Sycamore Gap
We turn East here and follow the Wall towards Steel Rigg, where we will walk up some steps to walk alongside Hadrian’s Wall, before dropping down to Sycamore Gap where the iconic tree stands. There is a low path which takes us to the same point but we will be returning along this later.
Crag Lough
After Sycamore Gap, we will pass Crag Lough, an inland lake, before following the footpath around past one of the two Milecastles on the route. Crag Lough was formed by glaciers in the last Ice Age and is one of the four Roman Wall Loughs. Milecastles are fortified gateways, built every Roman mile, often protecting weak points along the Wall.
Return to the Sill
Walking through some farm fields we return to the Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre or the Twice Brewed Inn for refreshments.
This is a beautiful walk, not to be missed, with outstanding views and of course the iconic Robin Hood Tree.
We hope you can join us.
Julie and Martin x
Gallery – Sycamore Gap
