August 2025 by colin morrison
Great exhibition and hands on centre.
August 2025 by D E
Great informative place before a good hike.
August 2025 by Simon G Tanner
Great interactive exhibits for children. Nice cafe and very well planned and executed roof garden with amazing views
August 2025 by phonetechy C
Good cafe and clean toilets
August 2025 by Miss vS-B
Very educational. Worth a visit whilst in the area. Nice shop and caffè, clean toilets. Good parking and starting point for a walk up to Hadrians Wall and the Sycamore gap tree memorial.
August 2025 by mike's
Wasn't my favourite place. The staff seemed a little confused to who was coming and going. Left waiting at tables , even though it wasn't that busy. A few people going up to the counter to remind staff they had been waiting a while.
August 2025 by hlcwilson
Attractive building, thoughtfully designed.
Interesting displays about modern and ancient life on The Sill were in the small museum. The Sycamore sculpture is quite beautiful and comfortable. Sadly, there were already signs of damage.
The living roof was interesting and had information about the plants and how they were chosen.
The cafe only had drinks and snacks such as cold sandwiches and scones. There was a reasonable selection of selection of teas, not just coffees. We had been hoping for (expecting, really) that there would also be hot sandwiches, such as bacon butties, but this was not to be. The scones were good though.
Items in the shop remain focused on Sycamore Gap, though the assistant said that they plan expand the range. They had a very good selection of local history books and, more unusually, local geology!
Toilet facilities were clean with no queuing.
The main reason for visiting, of course, is to access the wall which runs along the geological sill. There was a good sized map to look at in the atrium as well as a wide range of maps available for sale in the gift shop. Paths to the Wall (and the pub next door!) were well signposted. There is a steep and craggy route of two or three climbs to The Gap. It requires sensible footwear and, for anyone even vaguely unsteady or clumsy, a good stick. Random sweets found in the depths of your pocket are essential (we had toffees). Unfortunately, our pockets proved not to hide the cuppas we were then ready for! A grassy path offers an alternate route, or they can be combined for a circle walk of approx 2 miles.
Parking at The Sill includes an overflow area so there is plenty of space. On entry, your licence plate is read then, when leaving, you start typing your registration number into the machine and it shows a short list. Once you recognise and click on your own number, it tells you the fee and you can pay with cash, card, or mobile phone.
August 2025 by elisa a
5 stars to the Visitor Centre and 5 stars for the Yha ?
August 2025 by Paul Smyth
Great visitor centre and now includes Sycamore Gap display.
August 2025 by Andrew Spencer
No dogs, gluten free options :-(
August 2025 by Lesley Mosley
Lovely friendly visitor centre
August 2025 by Siso 7
Great spot to stop for a walk and a break.
August 2025 by Ravina Talbot
Emotional to see the tree
August 2025 by Ian Pilkington
If you love landscapes this is a great place for you, especially the features about the Sycamore Gap tree and the Northumberland National Park.
An easy walk from the centre takes you along Hadrian?s Wall to Sycamore Gap and back.
August 2025 by Jenny Dixon
We were disappointed by how dog unfriendly this place was considering it?s so well placed for folks enjoying walks in the countryside.
We did manage to order food to eat on the small outdoor sitting area. There was one vegan option - a pasty for £8.50. Thankfully it tasted good even with that hefty price tag.
The table service set up wasn?t great for us sat outside in the drizzle - we ended up trying to go inside to pay which didn?t seem to endear us to the staff.
Next time I?m walking in the area, I will be sure to pack a picnic. If I forget the thermos, there?s always the nearby Starbucks on the A69 for a warming cuppa.
