Walltown Country Park | Exploring Northumberland
As we continue to tick off places to explore Hadrian's Wall as a family, we visited Walltown Quarry Country Park. This beautiful spot in Northumberland National Park is a great place to explore with all the family. It boasts a short, pushchair friendly circular walk amongst other routes to enjoy the great outdoors whatever your ability. Read on to find out more about this family friendly day out in Northumberland.
About Walltown Country Park
45 years ago, this site was a working quarry. In fact, when it opened in 1876 it was the largest whinstone quarry on Hadrian's Wall. The quarry provided stone for the expanding 20th Century road network.
Walltown Quarry closed in 1976. Once they had filled the quarry in, the area was landscaped, and planted with trees and flowers. Now the country park is a haven for wildlife and nature, from a huge number of birds to reptiles such as adders.
Where can I park?
Just beyond the Roman Army Museum you will find a designated car park for Walltown Quarry Country Park.
There are 55 spaces available.
Parking costs between £2 - £10 depending on when you're parking and how long.
To find the car park, use this post code: CA8 7HF
What is available at Walltown Quarry Country Park?
Walltown Country Park Visitor Centre
From May to September, the visitor centre opens for business, 10am - 5pm. It offers basic refreshments such as cold and hot drinks, snacks and ice creams. Additionally a small range of merchandise from magnets to sew-on badges is sold here.
Hadrian's Wall Path
There are a number of places in Cumbria and Northumberland that you can explore Hadrian's Wall, including Walltown Quarry Country Park. Walltown Crags is a walk that takes you along the side of Hadrian's Wall. If you continue far enough you will reach Cawfields, Steel Rigg, Sycamore Gap and more along the route.
Walltown Turret / Turret 45a
Turret 45a, also known as Walltown Turret, is one of 16 visible turrets along the length of Hadrian's Wall. As it is a free-standing turret which pre-dates Hadrian's Wall, some believe it could have been used as a signal tower during the course of the building of the wall.
Peace Labyrinth
The Peace Labyrinth at Walltown Country Park is based on the pattern of the seven-path Cretan labyrinth and has over 1000 willow trees planted to create natural ‘walls’. There is only one path in and out, so even once the trees are fully grown you will never get lost.
Walltown Country Park is a designated International Dark Sky Park
Did you know..? There are only twenty one International Dark Sky Reserves in the world, and the UK is home to one third of these!
If you're a fan of star gazing, this is a great spot to visit. In fact, on a clear night even the Andromeda Galaxy is visible.
FAQs about our family days out
Is it suitable for children?
There are a variety of routes available at Walltown Quarry Country Park; from the accessible, pushchair friendly circular walk, to the child-friendly Walltown Crags walk. Which route you decide to take will depend on the ability of your children, but I would definitely say this day out is child friendly!
Are there facilities available?
Yes! Besides the car park on either side of the Walltown Country Park visitor center are toilets, including fully accessible toilet and baby changing facilities.
Is there anywhere to eat nearby?
Although the Walltown Country Park visitor centre offers basic snacks, there are no proper cafes or restaurants in the immediate area. We took a picnic, and there are a variety of spots including picnic benches where you can enjoy your food.
So, there you go. Everything you need to know about Walltown Quarry Country Park is right here. Now it's time to head out for your own family adventure.
For more blog posts about exploring the beautiful outdoor spaces along Hadrian's Wall, check out the other blogs in my days out and travel blog. Have you found somewhere amazing to visit in the Northumberland? We love to explore new spots, so feel free to share in the comments below.
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