Borderlands Partnership approves £5.7m funding to reinvigorate Hadrian’s Wall by transforming visitor infrastructure
The Borderlands Partnership Board has approved £5.714million in funding from the Government for Cumberland Council and Northumberland County Council to transform visitor infrastructure at Hadrian’s Wall.
This will include physical and digital infrastructure improvements designed to benefit both local communities and a growing and diverse audience of national and international visitors.
Spanning from Heddon-on-the-Wall to Ravenglass, the two linked projects – as part of the Hadrian’s Wall Investment Programme – form one continuous visitor experience designed to unlock the economic and cultural potential of the World Heritage Site.
The schemes will strengthen key gateways, enhance signage and improve connectivity in order to create a more accessible and engaging experience.
By modernising visitor access across a 33-mile stretch in Northumberland, the Hadrian’s Wall Visitor Exploration project will integrate new physical and digital information hubs across 42 locations.
To expand active travel routes, the Northumberland investment will also support the development of a new 1.94km cycle route alongside the Military Road that connects the wall directly to Reivers Trails network, Kielder Water and Forest Park, NCN 68 Pennine Cycleway and the Haltwhistle active travel hub.
The Discover Hadrian’s Wall West project will introduce 68 heritage themed interpretation points and physical and digital wayfinding across 10 trail locations, bringing part of the invisible heritage to life through virtual and augmented reality animation via an app with a bird’s-eye wayfinding interactive map.
Cllr Glen Sanderson, leader of Northumberland County Council, said: “Securing this investment is a landmark moment for Northumberland and a prime example of how the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal delivers targeted economic impact for our rural communities.
“By directly connecting Hadrian’s Wall to Kielder Forest, Haltwhistle and our wider active networks, we are removing barriers for visitors and modernising one of the UK’s most iconic historic assets.
“This strategic investment ensures we aren’t just preserving Roman heritage, but we’re building a world class, eco-friendly destination that encourages longer stays, boosts local businesses and drives sustainable growth for generations to come.”
The Hadrian’s Wall Visitor Exploration project is underway and set to run until December 2027, while the Discover Hadrian’s Wall West project is set to begin late 2026 – with an estimated end date of January 2028.