Hadrian’s Wall Winter Sunrise
After weeks of unrelenting grey skies, the promise of clear morning sunshine was impossible to ignore. With a bright forecast at last, I decided to make the most of it and head out early to photograph Hadrian's Wall at first light.
The section of Hadrian’s Wall between Housesteads and Steel Rigg
The alarm rang before dawn. After a quick snack and drive along the Military Road, I arrived at the car park near Housesteads Roman Fort. A final check of my camera equipment, and then it was time for the steady climb up the hill and along the Wall toward Milecastle 37. To my surprise, I wasn’t alone. Another photographer had the same idea, drawn by the promise of crisp winter light.
Winter sunrise along a snow covered Hadrian’s Wall near Milecastle 37
From previous research I knew about a small pile of rocks perched beside the Wall on the crest of the hill, an ideal foreground element with real compositional potential. Ideally, I would have preferred the sunrise slightly further to the left, but with fresh snow adding texture and contrast to the landscape, I couldn’t complain too much.
Hotbank Farmhouse along Hadrian’s Wall overlooking Crag Lough
As the horizon began to glow, I repositioned to make the most of the evolving light. Within minutes the sun crested the skyline, bathing the Wall and surrounding countryside in a rich orange warmth. For around ten magical minutes everything aligned. The snow catching the light, the ancient stones glowing, and the sky painted in soft hues of amber and gold.
I rounded off the morning with a walk toward Hotbank Crags, overlooking Crag Lough, capturing a few frames of the lone farmhouse nestled in the landscape. From there, I retraced my steps along the Wall, passing Housesteads once more before descending back to the car park, cold but content.
