Cuddys Crag's Broomlee Lough & Sewingshield Crags © James Silson
Wilder Hadrian’s Wall
What is Wilder Hadrian’s Wall?
Wilder Hadrian’s Wall is an ambitious, nature recovery initiative along the Hadrian’s Wall corridor.
It brings together landowners, communities, local government and other conservation charities to create a continuous nature corridor stretching from the Solway Estuary to the North Sea, linking Carlisle and Newcastle.
The vision is simple but transformative:
To connect fragmented habitats, making space for wildlife at every scale - from peat bogs and meadows, to rivers, woodlands, and urban green spaces.
Housesteads Crags, Hadrians Wall © James Silson
Housesteads Crags, Hadrian's Wall © James Silson
Cuddys Crag's Broomlee Lough & Sewingshield Crags © James Silson
230724 Hadrians Wall Walltown © Emily Stewart-Rayner
Hadrians Wall Burnstones © Emily-Stewart-Rayner
Spleenwort on wall at Chesters © Emily Stewart-Rayner
Hadrians Wall Cawburn © Emily Stewart-Rayner
Birdoswald Hadrians Wall © Emily Stewart-Rayner
Hadrians Wall © Emily Stewart-Rayner
Who is the team and how is the project funded?
Funded through The Wildlife Trusts’ Transforming Nature’s Recovery programme via the Ecological Restoration Fund, the project is led in partnership by Cumbria and Northumberland Wildlife Trusts.
How will Hadrian's Wall be made wilder?
During this Development Phase (August 2025–March 2027), the team will map existing work, identify new opportunities, and collaborate with landowners to understand how nature can be further restored along
Building on the extensive efforts already underway across the landscape, the project team will gather information on current projects, assess feasibility, and explore how to enhance and connect habitats across the corridor.
Working closely with landowners and local communities, the project will also identify the funding, skills, and practical support needed to bring these opportunities to life.
A Wilder Hadrian’s Wall will help deliver a wide range of benefits for people and wildlife, including:
- richer biodiversity and improved habitat connectivity
- natural flood management and increased drought resilience
- greater carbon storage across the landscape
- better air and water quality
- healthier soils and stronger food security
- reduced invasive species
- enhanced access to nature and heritage
- climate-ready infrastructure and thriving local communities
- economic gains and tourism opportunities
How do I get involved?
If you're interested in shaping the future of Wilder Hadrian’s Wall, we encourage landowners, community members, and supporters to get in touch and share their ideas, needs, and ambitions for the corridor to help build a corridor where nature and people can thrive.
Thanks to our partners
Wilder Hadrian’s Wall is a partnership between Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Northumberland Wildlife Trust, funded by the Ecological Restoration Fund. Together, we're working to create more space for nature along the Hadrian’s Wall corridor, helping wildlife to thrive while promoting the area’s extraordinary cultural heritage and acknowledging the people who live and work there.
