Antonine Trail

E Dunbartonshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow, N Lanarkshire, W Dunbartonshire, W Lothian

The Antonine Wall, begun in AD 142 during the reign of the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius, consisted of a turf rampart set on a stone foundation stretching 37 miles across central Scotland. A broad ditch was dug in front of the Wall as part of the overall defenses, and the fill from this ditch formed a low mound to the north. To the south, a road called the Military Way ran behind the wall. The barrier, built from east to west, stretched between the Firth of Forth at Bo'ness and the mouth of the River Clyde at Old Kilpatrick. There are various sections of the Antonine Wall still available to view along the trail. It passes very close to the Falkirk Wheel - another monument, albeit a little bit more modern.

Author Cameron Black provides a description for walking the route of the Wall on the Antonine Trail. If you are considering a walking holiday in Scotland and using the Forth & Clyde canal as part of your itinerary then make sure you take the opportunity to visit it. This fascinating monument brings history to life and provides an insight into Scotland, its people and the way their culture has been formed over many centuries. The guidebook includes a full eight-day 125 km option covering days either side of the Wall sections, or a six-day 91 km shorter walk along the Wall section only.

The Antonine Wall was inscribed by UNESCO in 2008 becoming part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage Site, along with Hadrian's Wall (inscribed in 1987) and the German Limes (inscribed in 2005). The Outstanding Universal Value of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire lies in the survival of the second century Roman frontier system across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, reflecting the development and breadth of Roman military architecture and power. The Antonine Wall incorporated many technical and design elements not seen in earlier frontiers, represented a physical manifestation of a change in Roman imperial foreign policy, and illustrates the technological skill of the army in frontier areas. The Antonine Wall WHS website below covers the World Heritage Site.

The line of the wall crosses five modern local authorities (East Dunbartonshire, Falkirk, Glasgow, North Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire) and there are a number of sites and museums in each of these areas.

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Details:

Path Type:	Other Paths
Attributes:	Average Gradients Canal Coast-to-Coast Urban World Heritage Site Heritage Military
Start:	NS405750 - Dumbarton, E Dunbartonshire
Finish:	NT190769 - Cramond, Edinburgh
Open Date:	2014
Web Sites:	An Antonine Trail Antonine Wall WHS Historic UK - The Antonine Wall Antonine Trail, Kirkintilloch to Castlecary [YouTube video]

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Publications, Badges and Certificates:

Guidebook	Antonine Trail: A Roaming Holiday: on Foot from Clyde to Forth  (Cameron Black  - 2014 )
External download	Discover the Antonine Wall  (Falkirk Council  - 2009 )

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