Hadrian's Wall and Loch Lomond - from England to Scotland with kids

Hadrian's Wall is a Roman wall from the 2nd century that crosses northern England from coast to coast. You can walk along it and squeeze through narrow stone gaps, and The Sill visitor centre next to the wall has a free exhibition about the area. On Saturday 24 August 2019 we stopped there on our way to Scotland, and then spent three nights in our tent on Loch Lomond and visited Glasgow.

The day before, we camped in the mud by Lake Ullswater in the Lake District (Ullswater and Aira Force with kids). The plan of the whole trip is in our post UK road trip with kids.

The Sill: an exhibition next to Hadrian's Wall

From Ullswater to The Sill in Northumberland it was 90 km. The Sill is the visitor centre of Northumberland National Park, right next to the wall. Our favourite part was a sand table with a coloured map projected onto it. When you build a hill, the colours change with height: the higher it is, the redder it gets, and contour lines appear around it. The kids moved the sand around and made their own mountains and valleys.

The exhibition also has stuffed birds and shelves with things you can look at up close.

A walk on Hadrian's Wall

Then we went outside. The path goes across meadows, past grazing cows, towards the rocky hills where the wall runs. Steep cliffs on one side and the stone wall on the other make a beautiful, wild landscape.

On the way there are narrow gaps in the stone walls. "Will we fit through here?" the kids asked, and one by one they squeezed through sideways. The adults fitted too, but it was harder. By the end of the walk our youngest was riding on someone's shoulders.

Fun fact: is Hadrian's Wall the border between England and Scotland?

No. The Romans started building it in 122 AD, and it ran for about 118 km from coast to coast. It marked the northern border of the Roman Empire, and the whole wall is in northern England. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

Cashel Campsite on Loch Lomond

From The Sill we had another 230 km (2.5 hours) to Scotland, to Cashel Campsite on the east shore of Loch Lomond. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by area, in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. We put up our tent under the trees, a few steps from the water.

Here we met the Scottish midges. They are tiny flies whose bites can be more annoying than mosquitoes. They are most active from May to September, at dawn and dusk when there is no wind.

Three days in the water and in the sun

Sunday and Monday were for total rest. A rocky stream runs through the campsite, and the kids paddled in it and built a dam out of stones. On the lake we floated on inflatables, and in the evenings we watched the sunset over the mountains on the other side of the water.

A flat battery

On Tuesday morning, with everything packed, we found that the car battery was flat and the engine would not start. Three days at the campsite and opening the doors all the time, which turns on the lights inside the car, was enough. Luckily, our neighbour at the campsite helped us start the engine.

Glasgow Botanic Gardens

From Cashel we drove 44 km to Glasgow to meet our family. First we had lunch at Pizza Express, and then we went to the Glasgow Botanic Gardens. Entry is free. In the glasshouses we saw cacti and succulents, and then walked through thick tropical plants with leaves bigger than the kids. The most beautiful part is the Victorian glasshouse called the Kibble Palace.

In the evening we drove another 90 km to Drummohr Camping & Glamping Site in Musselburgh near Edinburgh. The next day we headed south to Bamburgh Castle (Bamburgh Castle with kids).

Practical info

We checked prices and rules in November 2026.

The Sill and Hadrian's Wall

• The Sill is in Once Brewed near Bardon Mill, in Northumberland National Park. The exhibition is free and the car park is paid.
• You walk to the wall across meadows and through gates, so a pushchair will not work well. A baby carrier is better.
• Plan 2-3 hours for the exhibition and a walk with kids.

Loch Lomond and Cashel Campsite

• Cashel Campsite is on the east shore of Loch Lomond, between Balmaha and Rowardennan, on the West Highland Way.
• Midges: there are most of them from May to September, at dawn and dusk, when there is no wind. Bring insect repellent.
• If your car stands for a few days, start the engine now and then, or carry jump leads.

Glasgow

• Entry to the Glasgow Botanic Gardens and the glasshouses is free.
• In 2019 the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in Glasgow city centre only applied to buses. Since June 2023 it has applied to all vehicles. If you drive an older car, check that it meets the rules before you enter the centre.