Roman Stuff

The forecast for today was the worst of the week. Cloud and possible rain all day. Rather than plan too much walking we booked the Roman Army Museum for noon and then Vindolanda at 3pm. You can book a combined ticket for both. We were super organised and booked it online last night to avoid a repeat of yesterday's failure to get into Housesteads.
I took Archie for a quick run in a field before setting off (him rather than me!) We haven't left him alone in Marshall for over eighteen months - since the last time we were up here - so I wanted to tire him out a bit!
First of all we went to the Roman Army museum which was fascinating. We loved the 3D Edge of Empire video showing a birdseye view of the wall as it would have been, and a dramatisation of a solider's life on the fringes of the Roman Empire.
The Little Misses went back to Marshall once we'd had a good look round and Mr K and I took Archie for a walk up to the Wall at Walltown Crags. It was hard work getting up there but spectacular. The views were magnificent enough on a dull, overcast day so I can't imagine what it would be like on a clear day. As usual it was hard to turn round and head back. I could keep going to Newcastle!!
We heard a cuckoo on the way down which made me happy!
From there we drove to Vindolanda which is about fifteen minutes away. We've never been before and we loved it!! Archaeologists are there every day between April and September digging in trenches and making new discoveries all the time so it really has the sense of a continuing project rather than hallowed ruins. 
There's a re-creation of a section the wall which gives a real insight into the scale of it. See extras. When you see it "in the wild" you forget how it would have once looked.
And so many amazing artefacts in the wonderful museum.
I spent most of the day exclaiming "Just imagine! The last person to touch that was a Roman!!" I find it mind boggling! Somebody used the coins and the hair combs and the cloak pins. And the wig!
And the shoes, and the helmet crests and the boxing gloves.
And the cart-wheel and the toilet seat!!
A child played with the wooden sword and, most incredible of all, someone actually sat and wrote one of the hundreds of handwritten tablets which were found at Vindolanda. Written in ink on postcard sized tablets they range from party invitations, requests for more beer to be delivered to the garrison, orders for shoes, intriguingly a letter from a commander saying he can't in all conscience recommend a certain soldier for a promotion but doesn't say why!, and on and on. Mundane and ordinary on the whole - imagine if they'd known we'd be reading them thousands of years later!! A bit like Blip really!
Once we were museumed out we sat outside the cafe on the lovely terrace  and had tea, coffee, diet coke and chocolate bars. It was almost closing time when we'd finished so we had the whole site to ourselves as we walked back across to the entrance. It's a turnstile exit so there's no limit on how long you can stay. Fabulous!!