Roman Vindolanda | Exploring Northumberland
Vindolanda has been on John's family travel bucket list for as long as I can remember, so with half term in full swing - and a day off work to plan - we decided to head over to Northumberland for a visit. Read on to discover the history of Vindolanda and all it has to offer as a destination for a family day out.
About Vindolanda
Situated just South of Hadrian's Wall, Vindolanda is the site of a Roman auxiliary fort believed to have been occupied from 85 AD to 370 AD.
Why Was Vindolanda built?
Vindolanda was built to guard The Stanegate Roman road, which linked Corstopitum Fort in Corbridge to the east, and Luguvalium in Carlisle to the west.
What does Vindolanda mean?
The Latin name Vindolanda means white lawns or white fields. In 1914 an alter to the Roman god Vulcan was discovered, indicating the fort's name, and allowing us to know it by that name today.
Where can I park?
Vindolanda has its own car park on site, with an overflow for when it gets busy.
To find the car park, use this post code: NE47 7JN
What is available at Vindolanda?
Stuff to explore right from the start
Before you even step foot inside the entrance to Vindolanda, the walk from the car park has things to discover. From celebratory stones amongst the paving slabs that make up the path, to the signpost giving you the direction and distance to Rome and other key places, the children were immediately excited to be heading into Vindolanda.
Roman statues, fountains, mosaics and more
Once you've been through the reception area, the first part Vindolanda offers you to enjoy is a small courtyard. Here you can see old statues, mosaic replicas created by local school children and an amazing stone hippocampus fountain. There is also a bench from which you can join the free guided tour, if that is your thing. We prefer to explore on our own, at our own pace - which is exactly what we did.
Replica stone and wooden towers
Obviously you can't visit the site of an old Roman fort without knowing what they were like. Usually sites like these offer simple pictures on signs, or small, 3D reproductions but at Vindolanda they have created full size replicas of a portion of Hadrian's Wall including stone and timber parapets and turrets with a wooden milecastle gateway.
Plenty of excavated ruins to explore
When it comes to my children it really doesn’t take much to entertain them, a few ruins always does the trick. Wandering alongside walls of different heights, running in amongst the ruins of old Roman houses and jumping into the ditches between the ruins of the barracks are just a handful of things that they enjoyed during our time at Vindolanda.
An ongoing archaeological dig
This was by far Squidgy's favourite part. She wants to be an archaeologist, and being able to see it all happening for real instead of just on Digging up Britain or Time Team on TV pretty much blew her mind. The archaeologists working on site were super friendly and happy to take a moment to chat, too!
The museum and gardens
A little wander down the hill past the archaeological dig takes you to the gardens, and a fee different spots to explore. A replica temple, Roman pottery kiln and more offer extra insight into what it would have been like to live at Vindolanda. Plus, the museum houses so much history including artefacts found during Vindolanda's excavations making it a fascinating place to stroll around.
FAQs about our family days out
Is it suitable for children?
Vindolanda is definitely a family-friendly day out. There are plenty of areas to explore and enjoy and children of all ages are bound to love it (our older three were 8, 5 and 2 when we visited and they all had a blast!) The replica turrets were a huge hit with Munchkin, following the lines of the ruined walls was Pickle's favourite thing and of course seeing an archaeological dig happening in real life blew Squidgy's mind.
When we visited they also gave the children a map each with some things they should look out for, such as the bonfire. Having that, as well attempting to read the various signs located arouns the site helped to keep them engaged - however to be honest they just loved exploring regardless.
Are there facilities available?
There are toilets available inside the museum, including accessible toilets and baby changing facilities (good job too when I had wee ones needing changing!)
Is there anywhere to eat nearby?
There is indeed! Simply head down the hill from the main excavations where you'll find the gardens and a building which houses the museum, shop and café. As we brought a picnic I cannot attest to the prices, however I did see a couple of customers sitting outside with some lush looking pieces of cake which I think we'll have to try on our next visit.
With that, I believe I have covered everything you need to know about Vindolanda. I have to say, for something that is definitely more John's taste than mine, this day out was one that our whole family enjoyed and I would definitely go again.
For more blog posts about exploring the beautiful outdoor spaces England has to offer, check out my days out and travel blog. Have you found somewhere amazing to visit in the Northumberland? We love to explore new spots, so feel free to share in the comments below.
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