Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail opens in May 2003. It is a footpath of some 81 miles (130 km) linking Wallsend, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, with Bowness-on-Solway on England's west coast. The Path shadows, for its greater part, the historic line of Hadrian's Wall; it is the only National Trail to lie within a World Heritage Site, and there are many opportunities to explore the fascinating history of four centuries of Roman rule. It is also a walk of dramatic contrasts, starting amid bustling, redeveloped Newcastle, where the Path passes Millennium Bridge and the new Baltic arts complex, and finishing on the lonely shores of the Solway Firth, with its unique wildlife. The book contains: the entire route split into convenient sections; 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey maps for each section, marked with points of special interest; circular routes off the trail for shorter works, enabling the walker to explore the local area; route information on each section, with colour photographs and notes on nearby features; background information on local history, wildlife, archaeology, geology, industry and land use; details of public transport, villages on or near the route with facilities for walkers, useful organisations and accommodation, including camping sites; and the Countryside Access Charter on your rights and responsibilities when out in the countryside.