Hadrian's Wall: Life on the Frontier

Ben Robinson and the TV team were rewarded with some stunning views of Hadrian’s Wall, its forts and the surrounding landscape from the air.

Their Cessna plane had been being grounded by storms for several days but a break in the weather enabled them to take off and capture some fascinating views of the area.

Native settlements, field systems, temporary Roman camps, add richness and time-depth to an area which is often thought of as Hadrian’s alone.

Many of these ancient sites have been levelled and cannot be seen on the ground at all so an aerial perspective gave the team were able to get a much clearer view from the air.

The area around Hadrian’s Wall has been carefully mapped from the air by English Heritage, but private research is also adding much to the compelling story of the Roman Empire’s northern frontier.

New technology is also playing its role in discovering new archaeological sites which shed fresh light on the wider area around Hadrian’s Wall.