Vindolanda: Roman Empire in Britain

After seeing the constant stream of Facebook posts about the Roman era and early Christian finds being dug out of the site at Vindolanda in 2023, I decided to spend a day there.
What a great decision!
The ground at Vindolanda in Northumberland has anaerobic conditions. That means that there is no oxygen in the pre-Hadrianic excavation layers, so the items discarded by the army and residents over hundreds of years have survived in astonishingly great condition. Over the years the archeology volunteers and teams have discovered more than 14,000 pairs of shoes, along with the famous Vindolanda Tablets.
Vindolanda was first built by the Roman army before Handrian's Wall was planned. But once the great wall's construction got underway, Vindolanda became an important construction and garrison base, and was a Hadrian's Wall fort of major significance.
If you're into archaology, you'll love seeing the ancient timbers and other items being slowly revealed. If you're not, or you are keeping youngsters entertained, there is a nice museum, cafe, shop, replica temple and replica wooden fort section making this visit worthwhile.
The entrance fee and cafe prices are very reasonable, and the customer service was top notch from every member of staff and volunteer we met.
Cafe seating is both inside and outside, with a nice range of delicious food.
Free parking at the entrance. Plenty of clean public toilets.
We happened to arrive as one of the two talks of the day was about to start. The tour guides are volunteers and there's no charge, it's part of your entrance fee. I personally loved the talk, and our ex-army guide brought history to life. If you bring tiny tots along, or your English isn't too good, you might find this tour a struggle, but no one will mind if you have to leave part way through so it's worth trying. For everyone else, make sure you're there for one of the tour times. It will greatly improve your understanding of why this is so important a site for our understanding of the Roman Empire and Roman Britain.
Live in Tyneside or Northumberland? I HIGHLY recommend this is put on your wish list for a day out this year. Just remember to take a warm coat and an umbrella!