Hadrian's Wall - Vindolanda

When travelling from England up to Scotland, the first point of call for many people is the world renowned historic monument of Hadrian's Wall. Built on the orders of the Roman Emperor, Hadrian, around 122 AD to protect the northern boundary of the Roman Empire from the hostile tribes that then inhabited Scotland, Hadrian's Wall runs a total of 73 miles (nearly 120 km) from Solway Firth to the mouth of the River Tyne. At six metres high and nearly two and a half metres wide, it was built with a military road running on its southern edge along which troops of the Roman Empire could patrol. Throughout its entire length, regular sentry posts and forts were built around which small communities grew.

Today, sections of the wall are still visible and accessible. In places, there are ruined settlements which have been carefully studied and preserved by archeologists from around the world. One of the best areas of the wall to visit is the settlement of Vindolanda just off the B6318 to the west of Hexam. Here you (and your children!) can explore extensive ruins of a Roman fort together with the civilian settlement which grew up around it. The site is extensive, though it can be comfortably covered in a few hours. There is a steep walk down to the museum, but the walk is well worth the effort for young and old, enthusiast and casual observer alike.

Whilst we could write extensively about all there is to see and do at Vindolanda, we could never cover the settlement in the same depth as the professionals - so please take time to visit the excellent official website at http://www.vindolanda.com. You can even apply to join archeological digs on-site.

Hadrian's Wall is a must on any tour in the north of England/south of Scotland and Vindolanda as a site and with its stimulating museum is well worth a visit.

Map

For additional information about Scotland visit the Scottish Tourist Board official site at http://www.visitscotland.com.