On this 1-day tour from Edinburgh you travel south on the old Roman Dere Street that linked the supply ports on the south of England with the ancient city of York, and north past Hadrian’s Wall to the Roman settlements in Central Scotland. Your first stop on this tour will be in the border town of Jedburgh, a historic burgh that lies only 12 miles north of the Scotland-England border. Here you have time to take a short walk through the narrow streets that lead to the remains of the Augustinian Abbey, which has been a great symbol of power during its 900 year history.

Continuing south you make a brief stop at scenic Carter Bar on the edge of the Cheviot Hills. This crossing point between Scotland and England runs close to the ancient Roman road and has formed the border between the 2 countries for the past 700 years.
The tour continues through the magnificent forests of Northumberland National Park before turning west towards the remains of Hadrian’s Wall. You follow the road taking you along the south side of the wall, stopping at Steel Rigg where you come face-to-face with large sections of the wall’s remains. You have time to walk along the wall and experience the isolation that Roman foot soldiers would have experienced as they guarded their empire from the barbarians to the north.

You continue your journey west along the wall towards the village of Lanercost, the western gateway to Hadrian’s Wall. After pausing for lunch you travel a short distance to Birdoswald, one of the best preserved of the 16 Roman forts along the length of Hadrian’s Wall. You have time to explore this fascinating site and further sections of the wall before you turn north for the return journey.

Travelling through the Galloway hills, you stop in the Victorian spa town of Moffat before continuing through the Southern Uplands and Scottish Borders, and return to Edinburgh.