Illuminating Hadrian's Wall was a public event on Hadrian's Wall

Hadrian's Wall

Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...

 which took place 13 March 2010 and saw the route of the wall lit with beacon

Beacon

A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location.Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of...

s. The event was organised by Hadrian's Wall Heritage Ltd. and coincided with the 1600th anniversary of the end of Roman rule in Britain

Roman Britain

Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...

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Organisation

The 84 mile route was lit by 500 gas beacons, flares and torches at 250m intervals, with the assistance of more than 1000 volunteers. Approximately 120 landowners allowed access onto their lands for the event to take place.

The project was led by Hadrian’s Wall Heritage Ltd and supported by several other groups, which form part of North East England’s programme of festivals and events. The event marked the beginning of British Tourism week as supported by the Carlisle Tourism Partnership and the 500 points of light were filmed by a helicopter at dusk.