Holmhead Guest House

Holmhead Guest House sits in a beautifully quiet location in a sheltered valley next to the Tipalt Burn and beneath the ruins of Thirlwall Castle.  Built in 1800 with Wall stone, the house is bordered by open fields and has stunning views south towards the North Pennines, whilst to the north lies the Northumberland National Park and Thirlwall Castle. Holmhead is built over the foundations of Hadrian’s Wall and is directly on the Pennine Way and Hadrian’s Wall National Trails.

All rooms have great views, have ensuite shower and wc and tea and coffee-making facilities. Our breakfasts are delicious and generous and use local produce wherever possible, including free-range eggs, Northumberland sausage and bacon. Special diets are not a problem (although we do prefer advanced notice where possible) There is a large guest lounge with Freesat TV and DVD, bookshelves and games and complimentary wi-fi

Our location, directly on The Hadrian’s Wall Path and Pennine way make us an ideal stop-off for walkers, and we’re only 250m off the Hadrian’s Wall Cycle Trail. For evening meals, there’s a local pub which is a pleasant half-mile stroll away and serves great food and real ales.

For those staying for longer breaks, we’re ideally situated for exploring all the Hadrian’s Wall sites and museums, the North Pennines, Lake District, Tyne, Wear and Tees Dales, The Northumberland National Park and the stunning coastlines. We’re only about an hour’s drive from Newcastle and about half an hour from Carlisle.

There are a number of local walks, either along the national trail or local circular walks through some of the most spectacular (and peaceful) scenery in the country. We’re always happy to help with advice or map loans wherever possible.

At Holmhead, we can also offer self-catering accommodation in our two-bedroom cottage or, for backpackers and cyclists on a budget, we offer camping barn facilities.


Hadrian’s Wall is a World Heritage Site. It crosses from coast to coast of Northern England for 73 Miles, and is a breathtaking sight. Our bed and breakfast accommodation near Hadrian’s Wall also contains stones obtained from the wall.

You can visit long stretches of remaining wall; archaeological excavations of the wall and its eight remaining forts along the route, there are also 11 museums. Most are open all year.