THE national spotlight currently beaming down on Hadrian’s Wall is set to get even brighter during 2017.

In December, the iconic ‘Sycamore Gap’ tree on the Roman Wall near Bardon Mill was crowned England’s tree of the year by the Woodland Trust.

Now the tree made famous by the 1991 Kevin Costner film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves has been entered for a European tree of the year competition.

But regardless of how the sycamore fares against its continental rivals, Hadrian’s Wall is gearing up for perhaps its biggest year since the days of the Roman Army.

And that can only mean good news for Tynedale’s tourism industry, with visitors set to flock to the district by the bus load.

In April, a six-month exhibition will get under way to celebrate the cavalry regiments which once guarded the wall and explore the role and daily life of the Roman Army’s cavalry forces.

Roman sites in Tynedale – including Vindolanda near Bardon Mill; Housesteads near Haydon Bridge; Chesters near Chollerford and Corbridge Roman Town – will all have key roles to play in the Hadrian’s Cavalry exhibition.

August will see the eagerly-awaited opening of a £14.8m visitor centre at Once Brewed near Bardon Mill.

The Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre is expected to attract 100,000 visitors per year.

It will promote not only Hadrian’s Wall, but also the splendour of local landscapes, and will offer fascinating workshops for people of all ages, as well as educational opportunities for schools.

Scheme leader Northumberland National Park says The Sill will create jobs and provide opportunities for local businesses to run events and workshops and provide accommodation. Some businesses and service providers will even be given a base within The Sill.

The ambitious Sill project has been in the pipeline for several years, and construction work on site is now at an advanced stage.

Chairman of Henshaw Parish Council, Coun. Jeff Oliver, who also runs the Brockalee Farm Campsite at Bardon Mill, hopes local businesses will benefit during 2017 and beyond.

Coun. Oliver said: “If there is an influx of tourists to Hadrian’s Wall, I hope there is enough awareness of local communities and the services they offer.

“At Bardon Mill and Henshaw, we want them to support the local garage, shop and pub, and you would hope places such as Haydon Bridge and Haltwhistle will also benefit.

“The Sill is being billed as a national centre, and the hope is that it will attract people from up and down the country.

“I think this is a big year because until The Sill opens, we will not know exactly how it will impact on the local economy.

“The Hadrian’s Cavalry exhibition means there will be no shortage of attention on the Roman Wall during 2017.”

The exhibition has been named among Visit England’s ‘10 new and unmissable things to do in 2017’, along with stargazing opportunities at Kielder.

The exhibition will run from April 8 to September 10, and will include one of the largest Roman cavalry re-enactments ever staged in the UK, at Carlisle’s Bitts Park, in July.

During the exhibition, Corbridge Roman Town and Museum will explore the depiction of horses in Roman artefacts, including brooches, sculpture and pottery.

Chesters Roman Fort and Museum will tell the story of the strong bond between cavalrymen and their horses, including how the animals were looked after and maintained.

Chesters will also host a specially-commissioned contemporary art installation, which will use the natural environment and sounds to evoke the presence of horses once stabled there.

Roman Vindolanda will focus on the personal stories of cavalry soldiers stationed on the Wall.

Housesteads Roman Fort and Museum will also tell the story of the Roman cavalry.