One of the NMBS got married in 2007 - Stuart Erskine and he had his stag do in Newcastle.  Obviously beer was aplenty, so the lads of the NMBS went to the do.  (It's not often you see a member of the NMBS in a cage with cow-girls).  Newcastle was fun, and we had a cracking curry there - next morning after a hearty breakfast, Gerry, Steve, Lance and 'Dynamo' Kev decided that on the way back it would be a good idea to visit Hadrian's Wall. Stuart was far too poorly to attend. We stopped at one of the main sites a place called Vindolanda.  Vindolanda is a fascinating Roman fort and settlement lying just to the south of Hadrian's Wall. Recent excavations have uncovered numerous buildings and some of the most unusual and well preserved artefacts from the Roman world. In the superb site museum, set in charming gardens, you can see Roman boots, shoes, armour, jewellery and coins. 

The place is very well presented - and unlike Varus in Germany, Vindolanda caters for the main European languages.  The main museum, The Chesterholm Museum, has many artefacts and is home to the famous letters to Rome.  These are letters written at the time when the wall was populated with a garrison.  The Letters show an insight to the life on the wall.  The Museum has a nice little tea and cake shop and is well worth a visit.  Even with a hangover and not the best clothing for Northumberland in January!