Visit • The Sill

The Sill is open Monday to Sunday from 10am - 5pm

The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre is open every day from 10am – 5pm, but for our regular visitors, it will look and feel a little different at first. If you’re thinking of visiting The Sill soon we have some information to help you plan your visit.

A full risk assessment has been carried out by Northumberland National Park Authority staff in order to keep everyone safe at The Sill.

The Sill’s toilets, shop, kiosk and rooftop walk are open but for now our permanent exhibition remains closed. We have made additional seating available outside for anyone wanting to enjoy a picnic in our outdoor areas.

You don’t have to pre-book before visiting The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre and entry is free.

Hand sanitiser is available at the entrance to the building.
We have a one-way system in place including a separate entrance and exit.
Perspex screens have been added at the till in the shop – these are to ensure the safety of staff, volunteers and customers.
A maximum of 15 people will be allowed in The Sill at any time.
Should the building be at capacity when you arrive, you will be able to queue in a socially distanced way outside (staying two metres apart).
A maximum of 3 people are allowed in the shop at one time and social distancing markers are in place to help.
Inside the building, our new one-way system is in place to ensure social distancing can be followed.
The Whin Sill Grassland Roof Walk is open. A maximum of 15 people can be on the roof at one time and staff and volunteers will be monitoring this to ensure safety for everyone.
The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre will be fully sanitised every day and regular sanitising will take place every hour.
Hand sanitiser will be available at different locations around The Sill.
Contactless payments are preferred.

Northumberland National Park Authority and the team at The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre will be meeting regularly to make sure our information is up to date with government guidelines.

Visitor Information

Parking and Travel

Getting Here: By Road:

If you are travelling from the WEST along the A69 (from M6/Carlisle), follow the brown & white tourism signs to “Hadrian’s Wall”. As you near the junction, near Greenhead, turn left off the A69 and follow the signs to “The Sill”.

If you are travelling from the EAST along the A69 (from A1/ Newcastle), follow the brown & white tourism signs to “Hadrian’s Wall”. Take the slip road off the A69 towards Corbridge. At the roundabout at the bottom of the slip road, take the third exit onto the A68. At the Errington Arms turn left on to the B6318 and follow the signs to “The Sill”.

The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre is located at NE47 7AN

By Coach:

If you are coming from the west along the A69, we recommend all coach drivers to turn off the A69 at the Greenhead junction and follow the signs to The Sill along the B6318, which is very scenic with good views of Hadrian’s Wall.

If you are coming from the east along the A69, we recommend all coach drivers to turn off the A69 at the Stagshaw junction, near Corbridge and follow the signs to The Sill, along the B6318, which is very scenic with good views of Hadrian’s Wall.

For all coach drivers, travelling on the A69, we do not recommend that you use the the road up from the Bardon Mill junction off the A69. It is very narrow in places with soft verges either side, and is not suitable for coaches.

By Bus:

Between Easter and End of September, the Hadrian’s Wall Bus service (AD122) runs an hourly service between Hexham and Haltwhistle, visiting all the main Roman sites and the Sill. The bus stop at the Sill is located right outside the main entrance. The operator of the service is GoNorthEast. Visit: www.gonortheast.co.uk/ad122

This service will run from 30th March 2018 – 30th September 2018.

Concessionary bus pass holders travel free on all journeys after 9.30am on weekdays and all day at weekends or Bank Holidays (holders of Northumberland Concessionary Bus Passes may board after 9 am on weekdays).

Child tickets are available for all Under 16’s. Student tickets are available on production of a valid NUS or International Student ID card. Family tickets are available for up to 2 adults & 3 children travelling together & must include at least 1 adult & 1 child.

Please note that Go North East Buzzfare tickets are only valid for travel on the AD122 between Hexham and Chollerford. North East & North West Explorer tickets are not valid on the AD122.

By Bike:

The Sill is accessible from the Hadrian’s Cycleway (NCN72). There are 3 bike stands in front of the building and 6 lockable bike storage units available to hire for bikes and bags on site.
Car Parking: There are 177 car park spaces at The Sill. Charges apply to all vehicles.

Car Parking charges are:

1st 15 mins. Free

Up to 2 hours £2.00

Then £1.00 per hour thereafter up to a maximum of £5.00.

Remember: you only pay upon your departure.

Cars and Motorhomes may be parked and left overnight for a charge of £10 but camping and overnighting in motorhomes is not allowed.

We have two charging posts on site for drivers of Electric Vehicles.

Using the Pay with Ease website visitors can pay for parking when they return home after their visit to the Sill. Just visit the Park with Ease website, click ‘Make a Payment’ and follow the instructions online.

You can also buy either a One Day Hadrian’s Wall Car Parking Pass (£10) an Annual Hadrian’s Wall Car Parking Pass (£40) from reception at The Sill.

This provides unlimited car parking in all of our car parks along Hadrian’s Wall including The Sill and Housesteads.
Coach and Group Travel: There are 3 dedicated spaces for Coaches (car parking charges apply), close to the entrance of the Sill (marked clearly on the tarmac).

Alternatively, coach drivers can drop their passengers off at the Sill, then drive to Walltown (6 miles west along the B6318) to park free of charge, returning to the Sill later to collect their passengers at an agreed time.

If you would like to book a tour of the Sill or a room, and order food in advance, please download the form below. Fill in your details and email to: [email protected]

All Coach Drivers are entitled to a FREE hot drink at the Sill Cafe. Please ask at Reception for a voucher.

Coach Trip Booking Form
Dogs: We are often asked why dogs are not allowed on the Whin Grassland roof and within the National Landscape Discovery Centre.

Our Whin Grassland roof is the only one of its kind in the world and has never been tried before. We have worked closely with specialists and the academic community to find the best soil mix to support and to propagate this unique community of plants. This is an experiment and key to its success will be maintaining the delicate chemical balance of the soil.

One of the primary reasons why dogs are not allowed on the roof is the protection of this delicate ecosystem and chemistry. Although most dog owners are responsible and will take away dog waste both their solid waste and urine could be damaging to the grassland.

We also have to look after the health and safety of our staff and volunteers who will be working on our Whin Grassland. We do welcome dogs in our other outdoor spaces and our welcome team make sure that there is always water available in our dog bowls at the main entrance and kiosk area.

We welcome assistance dogs in the National Landscape Discovery Centre however, we are not able to welcome other dogs there are several reasons for this. The discovery centre is home to learning rooms, a shop and exhibition spaces; there are lots of sounds, lights and smells in a confined area which may cause even the most well-behaved dogs to become excited.

We are also very lucky to have been loaned objects from museums and as part of our loan conditions dogs are not allowed in the exhibition spaces. We are also conscious that not all people like, or feel safe around dogs.
Blue Badge Holders: There are 5 dedicated car parking spaces for Blue Badge Holders close to the entrance of the Sill, with level surface access to the main reception doors.
Further Parking: Additional car parking spaces are available at Steel Rigg Car Park (NE47 7AN) on Hadrian’s Wall, a 15-minute walk from The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre.
Changing Places Toilets: All our toilets are fully accessible, including one fitted out to Changing Places standards, allowing private and fully equipped changing facilities for users and their carers.