Hadrian's Wall 'under threat' after selfish dog walkers stuff pet's poo into heritage site

Alice Tomlinson
Thu, 09 Apr 2026 10:44:36 +0000

Hadrian’s Wall is “under threat” after selfish dog walkers stuff their pet’s poo into the much-loved heritage site.

One of the most celebrated Roman monuments in the world has withstood invasions and centuries of weathering, but conservationists say it is now being littered with dog faeces.

Caretakers at Hadrian’s Wall, a Unesco World Heritage Site, which stretches 73 miles across northern England, have reported an influx of dog waste bags wedged in between the historic stones, rather than carrying them to the bin.

Mark Newman, an archaeologist for the National Trust, said the problem had been getting steadily worse, warning the littering risked accelerating the decay of the structure and undermining its long-term conservation, the Telegraph reports.

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He said: "We've had an uptick - it's such an iconic piece of the landscape and a Unesco World Heritage Site, which is a place of outstanding universal value for all of mankind.

“Obviously people don't expect to encounter it with poo bags sticking out of the joints."

Margaret Anderson, head ranger at Northumberland National Park Authority, said the situation left her feeling despondent about how some visitors chose to treat the landmark.

She said: "For somebody to think it's acceptable to wedge poo bags into a Unesco World Heritage Site, well actually it makes you quite sad."

Ms Anderson acknowledged the lack of bins along the route but was firm that this was no excuse - pointing out that dog owners could use small pouches to carry waste in their pockets or backpacks until they reached a disposal point.

Tony Gates, the outgoing chief executive of Northumberland National Park Authority, said the dog mess issue was the one aspect of visitor behaviour he found particularly baffling.

He questioned how anyone could justify spoiling one of Britain's most historic landscapes in such a way.

Historian and philologist Dr Renan Baker was equally despondent, saying: "We should respect the past and not damage it."

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The problem is not confined to Hadrian's Wall alone - Mr Newman said dog waste had become a growing issue across National Trust sites more broadly, with some visitors hanging used bags on trees and creating what he described as "very unattractive Christmas tree-like decorations”.

Visitors to the wall have also expressed frustration, with Taylor Hughes, from Wrexham, blaming "lazy" dog owners and pointing out that picking up after a pet was simply part of the responsibility of owning one.

The irony of the situation is not lost on those who look after the site - a monument built specifically to keep out who the Romans considered uncivilised is now being treated with what many would argue is a distinct lack of civilisation.

Hadrian's Wall was constructed on the orders of Emperor Hadrian beginning around AD 122, during his tour of the Roman provinces of Britain, as part of a broader effort to consolidate the empire's northern frontier.

Running from Wallsend on the River Tyne in the east to the Solway Firth in the west, the wall once stood up to six metres high and three metres deep in places.

It represents one of the most ambitious engineering projects undertaken anywhere in the Roman world.

It was garrisoned by thousands of Roman soldiers drawn from across the empire, serving not only as a military barrier but as a customs and administrative frontier controlling movement between Roman Britain and the lands to the north.

Today it is one of the best-preserved sections of Roman military infrastructure anywhere in Europe, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

The wall forms part of a transnational Unesco World Heritage Site that also takes in sections of the Roman frontier in Germany.

Its stones have survived the fall of Rome, the medieval period, the industrial revolution and two world wars, but those responsible for its upkeep say thoughtless dog walkers are now among the more persistent challenges they face on a day-to-day basis.

The National Trust and Northumberland National Park Authority manage significant stretches of the wall between them.

They have repeatedly called on visitors to take their litter, and their dog waste, home with them.