All along the watchtower

This month sees the opening of a new exhibition about the Emperor Hadrian at the British Museum. If you can't make the show, why not visit what's left of Hadrian's Wall, says Jane Dunford in the Observer. Originally 73 miles long, the wall was once "punctuated with castles and turrets". At the fort of Vindolanda, dating from the 3rd and 4th centuries, you can see, on wooden tablets preserved in peat, the earliest examples of writing in Britain. Among them is "an invitation to a birthday party from AD 102, and a soldier's letter home, asking for more socks".

For guided walks and tours call 01434 344 650; Hadrian's Wall Adventure Tours ·