Hardian's Wall to Keswick

From Haltwhistle take the A689 to Alston and head into the North Pennines. You could visit the town of Alston and check out the South Tynedale Railway.

http://www.south-tynedale-railway.org.uk/

Investigate the area's lead mining history at http://www.killhope.org.uk/

The North Pennines is one of the least visited areas of England.

http://www.visitnorthumberland.com/north-pennines-aonb

From Alston you can drop down into Penrith via the A686, one of the most scenic roads in Britain.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/best-drives-north-east-a686-10436129

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/4748743/Great-drives-Snake-up-the-A686-to-Hexham-and-Penrith.html

Hartside summit has about the best far ranging view in england.. esp if you ht the golden hour before sunset..and the weather cooperates!
Going via Hartside means you pass by Long Meg on the way your Keswick.
You could do worse than doing Kilhope Wheel then over to Teesdale to see High Force and Cauldron Snout before cutting thru Garrigill

Thanks for the great ideas. I had wondered about the route through Alston. Sounds like it is the way to go.

If you're keen on stone circles, you can see Long Meg & Her Daughters about 20-min drive into in the farm country east of Penrith. Penrith itself is much less touristy than Keswick but it has its charms, for example a scenic high street and historic clock tower.
http://www.visitcumbria.com/pen/penrith/

A good place for lunch is Narrowbar. The TI is helpful and will give you directions to Long Meg. If you go, beware of the mammoth cow pies in the pasture.

Hadrian's Wall...

Very good fish and chips in Penrith ,by the bus station
If there's room left there's an ice cream parlour with a shady courtyard to sit in about 100 yds away

Thank you, thank you, Mike J ! I so wanted to do that myself.

I totally agree with seeing Hardian's wall. After 2 days there, I am moving on to the Lake District. My question related to how to get from one to the other. The suggestion for Long Meg is good. I have a thing for Neolithic sites so always look for them when I travel. There are some great ones in Ireland. My kids particularly likes the one in the middle of a sheep field at the end of a road. Easy to get lost looking for them sometimes.

Not Hardian's Wall, HADRIAN'S Wall. Like "Adrian" in English but with an H.