As you would expect, there's plenty of Roman history to get your teeth into in Hadrian's Wall Country. Helen Meynell and family discovered some real treasures on a short break in the area.

ARCHAEOLOGIST Robin Birley was excavating at a Roman fort in Northumberland in the 1970s when he made a dramatic discovery.

He unearthed some fine slivers of wood which, crucially, contained handwriting.

He knew they were something special so rushed to show his find to a colleague. But the writing had gone, faded by the light and the atmosphere.

Luckily, infrared cameras could still pick up the writing and the true extent of his discovery was revealed. The fragments were part of postcard-sized slivers of wood. The fact that they are only between one and three millimeters thick is fascinating enough but it is the writing on the Vindolanda tablets that reveals the most about Roman life in Britain.

The tablets include a birthday invitation, business letters and requests for food. They reveal that Roman soldiers wore underpants and that the Romans had a derogatory nickname for the Britons – "Brittunculi".

They are one of the earliest written records ever found in Britain, dating back to the first century AD. They are so highly regarded that they are now considered to be Britain's top archaeological treasure.

But there are so many archaeological treasures to be discovered in Northumberland that it's difficult to know where to start. To me, Vindolanda was an absolute must and it did not disappoint. I just wish it had been warm enough to linger longer on the site, much of which is outdoors.

The fort is fascinating, showing remains of the under-floor heating and flush toilets. The finds on display in the museum show just how sophisticated Roman life was. Recreations of Roman shops and homes bring the history alive for children, as did the hands-on activity provided by a potter in Roman dress.

But before you head to Vindolanda, I recommend visiting the sister site, the Roman Army Museum, first. We visited them the other way round and wished we'd had time to return to Vindolanda afterwards.

If you're still in the mood for more Roman history after Vindolanda, head east to the National Trust's Housesteads Fort, the best preserved of the outposts along the wall. We'll have to save that one for next time.

And a next time there must be as we barely scratched the surface of the Roman history of the area.

We were staying right on the wall – you could see it from our bedroom window – at Willowford Farm, which was the perfect base for exploring Hadrian's Wall Country.

We stayed in the family suite, which comprises two rooms joined by a short corridor and with our own front door opening out on to the farmyard. This solved all of the potential problems of staying in a B&B with children. We were separate, secure and could come and go without traipsing mud through the main house.

The children enjoyed staying on the farm and especially loved playing with Millie, the border collie, whose appetite for chasing a ball was never satisfied. Millie joined us on our walks along the wall, down to the remains of a Roman bridge which once spanned the River Irthing and up to the English Heritage site, Birdoswald, which features a Roman fort, turret and milecastle.

You can holiday at Willowford Farm with a clear conscience, too, as its green credentials are excellent; it has even been recognised with a Gold award from the Green Tourism Business Scheme. Heating and hot water are provided by a log-burning boiler, local and organic ingredients are used as much as possible and guests are encouraged to recycle the wrappers from their Fair Trade teabags. I really liked the fact that there were none of those horrible little UHT milk cartons in the rooms, either – if you need milk, you fetch it in a small jug from the neighbouring dining room.

And hosts Lauren and Liam prove that going green doesn't mean compromising on comfort. We enjoyed luxuries such a king-sized bed, a wet room with handmade soap and digital radio and TV. We even had a flush toilet and under-floor heating – just like the Romans.

HADRIAN'S WALL COUNTRY

WHERE TO STAY: Willowford Farm, Gilsland, Cumbria – 016977 47962 or www.willowford.co.uk.

HOW MUCH: Bed and breakfast in a standard double room is £70-75 per night; the family suite costs £115-£120 per night. A three-course evening meal is £18 per head.

WHERE TO VISIT: Roman Vindolanda (call 01434 344277) and ?Roman Army Museum?(016977 47485) – www.vindolanda.com.

INFORMATION: Hadrian's Wall Information Line – 01434 322022. For visitor information and accommodation booking, visit Hadrian's Wall Heritage Country at www.hadrians-wall.org.