Hadrian's Wall UNESCO World Heritage Site is set to have a £143,000 upgrade to improve the surface and protect the slopes from erosion. 

The announcement follows a record year for the park, with an estimated one million visitors going to Hadrian’s Wall annually to take in iconic locations such as Sycamore Gap and Cawfields Quarry.

The Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail is one of the National Park’s most popular destinations, but high volumes of visitors walking the route often impacts the surface of the path itself.

Work on improving the trail will begin in 2022, with work focusing on the resurfacing and enhancement of four areas on its central section and on protecting slopes from further erosion; with the overall goal to improve the landscape’s appearance and overall access.

The improvements will be made by partners led by Northumberland National Park Authority thanks to funding from National Grid’s Landscape Enhancement Initiative (LEI).

The funding, which is supported by match-funding from both Northumberland National Park Authority and the National Trust, will also help to repair and rebuild a 500m section of Hadrian’s Wall as part of the overall project.

Northumberland National Park chief executive Tony Gates said: “We are delighted to receive such a significant grant from the LEI which will allow us to carry out vital work to one of the park’s most popular trails.

“Hadrian’s Wall is one of the most important monuments in the UK and with this funding, our team can now work towards ensuring that it can continue to be enjoyed by our visitors for many years to come.”

Read more: Hadrian's Wall sound walk ready for Spring

National Grid has awarded over £3 million through its LEI programme since it launched in 2016 through 21 projects across the 30 eligible National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) that contain existing high-voltage transmission electricity infrastructure.

Grants are available to support small-scale landscape projects that help reduce the visual impact of transmission lines and pylons in the landscape, while also making a positive contribution to natural beauty, wildlife and biodiversity, cultural heritage and public enjoyment of these places.