Highland Archaeology Festival - 4 to 19 October 2008
A programme of events for this year’s Highland Archaeology Festival, which runs from October 4th - 19th inclusive, has now been published.
Over one hundred events, most of which are free are included in the programme which celebrates the archaeology, history, landscape and culture of the Highlands. There is something for everyone with events ranging from guided walks, cycle tours, family events, evening lectures and exhibitions.
The festival will end with a two day seminar in Inverness featuring talks about recent archaeological excavations and projects across the Highlands. “What’s New in Highland Archaeology", will be held at the Waterside Hotel, Ness Walk, Inverness on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th October. The seminar provides a platform for archaeologists who have been working in the Highlands to present the results of their work. Entry is free, so that participants can drop in for as long or as little as they like.
Councillor Ian Ross, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Planning, Environment and Development Committee said: “The Highland Archaeology Festival is firmly established as a key event in our cultural events calendar. Thanks go to all event organisers without whose dedication and hard work the festival would not be possible.”
Highlights of the 2008 Highland Archaeology Festival include an event run by the Caithness Archaeology Trust titled ‘Brochs, Standing Stones and a Good Blether Round Houstry’. In Sutherland there will be a conference on the Inchnadamph Bone Caves; and the chance to be a young archaeologist for a day at Timespan Heritage Centre.
In Wester Ross, join an archaeological survey team at work at Braemore Square, Loch Broom; or an archaeology roadshow at Ullapool Museum, where people can take their artefacts and curios to be identified by experts.
A minibus tour has been organised across Skye and Lochalsh to follow 'In the footsteps of the Saints'.
On the Black Isle there will be guided tours of the gun batteries of North and South Sutors near Cromarty and a cycle tour to a Black Isle Bronze Age burial cairn via Learnie mountain bike tracks.
Participants who prefer to explore by foot can ‘Come a Droving’ and walk the drove road from Garbat to Strathpeffer.
In Inverness a guided walk will take participants through the former medieval burgh of Inverness. Hunter-Gatherer Survival skills events aimed at children will also take place at Aigas near Inverness and Kyleakin, Skye.
In Badenoch and Strathspey there will be: free admission to the award-winning Highland Folk Museum, Newtonmore; a walk to ‘Johnny Blair’s Garden, Newtonmore’, situated on the site of a prehistoric hillfort; and a guided walk to reminisce and explore the community sites and townships in Glen Markie with Laggan Heritage.
These are just some examples of the events taking place throughout the Highland Archaeology Festival. To request a copy of the programme please contact the Festival Hotline on 01463 718505 or email archaeology@highland.gov.uk or visit the website at http://www.highland.gov.uk/archaeology.htm to download the programme. Visit the website for news, regular updates and late additions or alterations to the programme.
For further information please contact: Kirsty Cameron, Archaeologist, The Highland Council, Planning & Development tel: 01463 702504