Heritage site “threatened by tourists"

One of Britain’s oldest and most famous heritage sites is under threat because it is being visited by too many tourists. According to The Times, Hadrian’s Wall, built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in AD 122, is being eroded so severely that it could be placed on the World Heritage Site’s “in danger” list. The problem has been caused, the newspaper reports, because of a walking trail that runs alongside the famous wall. Since the path was opened last year some 400,000 people have walked along it and, while walking on top of the wall is banned, many visitors still choose to do so. The newspaper reports that, on one occasion, 800 Dutch bankers walked along the wall on day last winter. Professor Peter Fowler, of Unesco, who opposed the creation of the trail, is quoted as saying that most visitors were “out for a good walk. That’s fine, but walk somewhere else. “A fragile archaeological site should not be used. This needs more close management of the trail on the ground so that people can be moved a few yards one way or the other and to encourage people not to walk on the wall. The wall was never built to take 400,000 people.” Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd www.newsfromabroad.com