Discover Hadrian's Wall with an active holiday

With the grey, cool and wet British summer forecast to get hot and sunny going into the August bank holiday, it might be just the time to go for an active break in the UK.

Lots of areas of the UK are keen to welcome travellers after the poor weather this summer, and the north-east of England is no exception, running special discounts on accommodation this month.

One of the region's strongest attractions is its fantastic scenery, from beaches and castles to 2,000-acre forests, making it ideal for a walking or cycling holiday.

The north-east is also home to Hadrian's Wall, which can be enjoyed on foot or by bike thanks to a long-distance footpath and new cycle route alongside the famous Roman frontier.

For holidaymakers keen on tackling the whole path, the 84-mile route can be completed in around seven days, taking in the River Tyne, Northumberland's moorlands and the high-point of Whinshield Crags, which peaks at 345 metres.

However, if you are not keen to spend a full week walking the long-distance footpath, there are around 80 to 100 smaller walks to enjoy along the Hadrian's Wall Path.

At the Newcastle end of the path there are a number of Roman attractions, including the Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum and Segedunum, the fort guarding the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall.

Further west, Chesters Roman Fort and Museum is considered to be an excellent example of a Roman cavalry fort, and contains one of the best-preserved buildings on Hadrian's Wall - a military bath house.

Heading into Northumberland National Park, Housesteads is the most complete Roman Fort in the country. As well as the barracks, hospital and granaries there are also great views to take in.

For those that would prefer to explore the wall on two wheels the new Hadrian’s Wall Cycleway, opened in July 2006, also runs alongside the wall, taking cyclists past lots of Roman monuments on the way. Around 20 day-long cycle routes can be downloaded from the official Hadrian's Wall website, ranging from five to 26 miles long.

For more information on visiting north-east England, including the summer accommodation special offers, see www.visitnortheastengland.com