Exploring Hadrian's Wall Traveller Reviews

We were housed in lovely accommodation in beautiful countryside just south of Hadrian's Wall. Our guide, Paul, was a wonderfully knowledgeable and attentive companion who took us to all the key sites and arranged everything to run smoothly, despite temporary restrictions on access at some places. Food was delicious and varied. The fellow-travellers in our small group were congenial and interesting people. The combination of visits to the actual field sites and selected museums provided an overall understanding of the life of Roman legionaries at this wind-swept edge of empire. There was just enough walking, a passing brush with later periods of history and a tasting visit to a gin distillery to complete a memorable tour.

This was our fifth tour with Peter Sommer and the first we had undertaken within UK. As always, everything was thoughtfully arranged with all the information one needed available. As a small company, Peter Sommer Travels maintains a personal touch and the guides are of the highest quality with many years of professional knowledge and tour-leading experience. Coming out of the covid pandemic, there were doubts about the viability of this tour as some people had dropped out, but we were kept informed as decisions were made and we were delighted when Peter Sommer agreed to go ahead with the tour despite reduced numbers. We are very much looking forward to our next tour with Peter Sommer in 2023, which will also be led by Paul.

From Wallsend to Maryport there was hardly any stopping! We learned, we explored, we walked, and we learned while we were entertained again and again. For us, Julie Siblie has been the face (or more accurately the e-voice) of Peter Sommer Travels. From our initial trepidatious inquiries about walking the entire length of Hadrian’s Wall in 2016, to our original booking in 2019, to finally being able to travel in June 2022, both she and Peter (himself!) hung in with us! 
This summer we were picked up from (and returned to) the Newcastle airport, and spent an action-packed week learning as much as we could possibly absorb about the impact of Rome on England! Paul Baston is an incredibly knowledgeable guide - and totally brought alive life in those times. His initial orientation to the wall and how Roman fortifications are set up (in Wallsend), to the final iteration of the wall’s structure later (in Maryport) were linear and easy to absorb. There were several times I had to step back and watch how his "showmanship" was impacting our group - how everyone was hanging on to his every word in anticipation of the "rest of the story!” The help and behind-the-scenes coordination of the ever-faithful Sam was much noticed and appreciated by the entire tour group. We traveled first to our charming lodgings in a medieval monastery (the Lord Crewe Arms in the small town of Blanchland), in the middle of verdant fields filled with sheep. Our room was cozy - and could hardly have been more accommodating - with tea (!!), coffee, cookies, and brownies replaced as needed - in addition to all the usual toiletries and accessories. And while there was even a fireplace in the room, we learned how to run a wall radiator! I ask myself WHY oh why did we wait ’til the end of our time there to tour the Abbey at Blanchford when it was immediately adjacent to the hotel??
 Every day the scenery was amazing - and the walks were neither too far nor too long: but walk we did! (My personal favorite was walking along and between the wall and green sheep pastures in Brampton - although the day we spent walking some 5 miles along the wall - passing the Sycamore Tree was a close second.) We spent a week touring and learning not only about Hadrian’s wall, but touring an active archeological site (with its display of single shoes!) in Vindolanda & Hexham as well as touring an incredible castle in Bamburgh (I wonder if Peter arranged for the bagpipes and dog show just for us!) - that is still occupied by its owners! The food. Oh, my goodness - I don’t know how others did it - but we could not eat every meal! Breakfast at the Lord Crewe was tasty and contented us through to dinner - but of course we had lunch as well! “If you feed them, they will be happy” - and we most certainly were! (Did I mention the Beef Suet Pudding with Sticky Toffee Sauce?)

Paul is an incredibly knowledgeable guide - and totally brought alive life in those times. His initial orientation to the wall and how Roman fortifications are set up (in Wallsend), to the final iteration of the wall’s structure later (in Maryport) were linear and easy to absorb.

We spent a wonderful week hiking, walking and exploring the remains of Hadrian’s Wall from coast to coast. Our guide was brilliant- archeological, historical and linguistic information was shared in a manner of a master storyteller. The village of Blanchland was charming, the Lord Crew Arms Hotel delightful, and the food at all locations was fabulous. Guides, staff, drivers all were top notch professionals- helpful, accommodating, patient, and a joy to be around.

Extremely knowledgeable, professional, organized, personable and intent to accommodate all the travelers.

We met in Newcastle and spend a week at a beautiful hotel (Lord Crewe Arms) in Blanchland and did visits to Hadrian's Wall, forts, museums, both coasts etc with a brilliant guide.

Peter Sommer Travel is excellent. Our tour guide, Paul, made the trip magical. The accommodations were perfet as were the meals and all excursions.

A fascinating week exploring Northumberland and Hadrian's Wall with Peter Sommer Travels. We were privileged to have an excellent guide, superior accommodations and delicious food and beverage. This was our third trip with Peter Sommer and before the week was over, we were perusing the offerings for next years trips!

Extremely knowledgeable and highly credentialed, engaging guide - a wonderful story teller!

This was our third tour with Peter Sommer travel. They have all been outstanding. The hotels, the food, the guides: all superlative. We have taken tours previously with other companies. None comes close to the experience with Peter Sommer travel. The value and quality are simply amazing. I've never had so much fun while learning so much history.

Please read the box above. I can recommend Peter Sommer travel with full confidence and without hesitancy. The best travel we've ever experienced.

Hadrian’s Wall May 23-30 2022. Terrific Hotel and guided experience. Our guides created a wonderful outdoor experience, we learned much, ate very well, and overall had an active and enjoyable experience. We can recommend without reservation. David & Jacqui Griffith

Guide was exceptional and a nice balance of information and energy.

Hadrian’s Wall has always intrigued me being a Northerner … Covid had met it’s match - so to speak. It did not deter Peter Sommer Travels. In spite of the obvious restrictions in force, our Tour went ahead! The company made life easier with patience and thoughtfulness and agility to get things sorted out. That was before we began! It was a superb trip… a world tour! I loved it!! We have been with Paul on another “Exploring tour”. He is an expert Historian, with a friendly style of imparting it.

We have travelled with Peter Sommer Travels on three previous occasions. They always take care in detailed planning, so, leaving it to their expertise, you have nothing to worry about.

It was touch and go. Would the Covid rules let us go? Sadly, they didn't allow the international folk to come. We were thus a small, privileged vanguard group of PST travellers, emerging after a long lock-down, and enjoying, for me, at 80, for the first time, the gorgeous Northumbrian countryside and these amazing remains of our island history. We've now had the same tour leader twice. His knowledge of his subject is encyclopaedic. Very nice hotel and excellent pub lunch venues, coping well with the Covid rules. You need to be reasonably fit and you might need walking poles, an umbrella and/or waterproofs. If you go by train (book advance first-class) from London to Carlisle and then across country, and back from Newcastle, there are fine views all the way.

We've been on three previous tours with Peter Sommer Travels. All, including this one, have been excellent. The planning - the chosen venues in terms of the daytime visits, the accommodation and meals, the lecturer/guide, and the transport have all worked well. The information supplied is helpful and timely. Not cheap, but what you get exceeds our expectations!

One week touring Harian's Wall with Peter Sommer Travels. Fabulous itinerary and excellent organisation by Peter Sommer Travels. Exquisite accomodation and a well thought out meal program at super local restaurants. Our lecturer , Paul Beston brought the history of the area to life. He is one of the best that you can have guiding you through anamazing landscape and history.

I have done many holidays with Peter Sommer Travels. First class all the way in all respects. It doesnt get any better than this!