Ailsa’s travel theme for this week is Ancient, and what could be more ancient than basically all of Rome? Here’s the Forum:
From Ancient Rome to Ancient Roman… here’s one of my absolute favourite Roman sites in the UK, Vindolanda.
Just south of Hadrian’s Wall, Vindolanda Roman fort is best known for the discovery of the Vindolanda tablets – the oldest surviving handwritten documents in Britain. Excavations are still going on at Vindolanda, so if you go there at the right time of year you might get to see some real archaeologists at work!
Staying in the UK, here are the ruins of Mitford Castle in Northumberland, which dates from the end of the 11th century. Jan actually took this photo and I love it. It could easily be a professional postcard!
You can’t actually go up to Mitford Castle any more (the above photo was taken from a car window) because it’s considered dangerous. The ruins aren’t exactly stable! Apparantly the farms have no problem letting their sheep roam around in there though…
To finish with, here’s Kells Priory, one of the largest and most impressive medieval monuments in Ireland. It’s featured on the blog before, but I love it so I need to include it again for those who missed it previously!
Got any ancient photos you want to share? The travel theme is still open until the end of tomorrow! Check out Ailsa’s blog post for more details, and to see the other entries… there are lots of way better photographers than me out there!
That’s a great pic he took 🙂
Never been to Vindolanda, imagine. But I’m now sitting on Roman ruins. We also have a Roman circus here, I think I posted some pics once. Well, it was a race track.
I love Vindolanda! But you lived in London, so I’m not surprised you didn’t visit something that far north 😉
No excuse really… I mean, look at Hadrian, he was born in Spain, and he made it further Up North than me!!!!
LOL, this is true… although it’s questionable whether Hadrian ever actually saw “his” wall…
The architecture nerd in me is totally digging this! How I’d looove to get to Rome!
Seriously, the photo Jan took *could* be a postcard! Love it.
Jan’s photo (I almost typed Janis there!!) is gorgeous! Also glad you got a bit of Ireland in there 🙂
LOL, the name Janis is actually used in Germany as well, as it happens (friends of his from when he was a student have a son called Janis).
Oh wow, the pictures are so fantastic! My best friend lived in Rome for a while. And I really want to travel more in the UK! Can’t believe they let the sheep roam around these ruins!
We saw a lot of Roman sites in southern France (and a few in Germany) but have never made it to Rome yet! Need to go.
Saw the Vindolanda tablets in the British Museum and would LOVE to see the site itself! Great photos!
Let’s be honest- Northern England has the best ruins. The number that are within driving distance from Newcastle alone is super impressive! x
I love that you said this. Obviously I think the North East has the best stuff, but I’m biased 😀
Reblogged this on mapsworldwide blog.
Love all of this! I live in Carlisle which is by the Soloway side of the start of the wall. I have visited many sites on the wall. Amazing place!
My heart almost stopped when I saw the Roman sites at Vindolanda photo!! This city miss me so much!!
Great photo of Mitford Castle! Although its on private land, visitors are or seem to be tolerated and the ruins are visited every day by dog walkers and ramblers, which has been the same for decades. There are two ‘dungeons’ or cisterns that can be explored. You must check it out on foot next time if you can
I thought you could walk around the general area but not go right up to the castle itself? Whereas my dad actually climbed on the ruins as a kid.