Hot on the heels of Scottish Archaeology Month comes the Highland Archaeology Festival, from October 3-18 a fortnight of over 100 events, activities and open days, most of them free, giving the public a great chance to get hands on with the picturesque northern regions abundant heritage. As well as the archaeology of the Highlands, the festival will also celebrate its history, landscape and culture, through all from guided walks to family events, self-guided trails, archaeological surveys, evening lectures and exhibitions.
Highlights will include an archaeology in action session at the famous Eilean Donan Castle in Skye and Lochalsh, a guided tour of Carn Liath Broch in Sutherland and a project recording hut circles near Ullapool in Wester Ross. In Inverness and Nairn, kids can try becoming a Culloden archaeologist at the legendary battlefield, while their folks slip off to join Forestry Commission Scotland for a guided walk to a recently-discovered illicit whisky still site in Glen Affric, and maybe wee snifter too if theyre lucky.
HAFs grand finale will be a two-day seminar at the Spectrum Centre in Inverness Whats New in Highland Archaeology? from October 17-18. Featuring talks about recent archaeological excavations and projects across the region, itll provide a platform for archaeologists who have been working in the Highlands to present their results to fellow heritage experts and the public alike.
The Highland Archaeology Festival is firmly established as a key event in our cultural events calendar, said Councillor Ian Ross, Chairman of The Highland Councils Planning, Environment and Development Committee, in a statement. Thanks go to all event organisers without whose dedication and hard work the festival would not be possible.
Consultation with participants will be ongoing throughout the festival to decide whether next year it might better be held in the Spring. Be sure to make your opinion heard.
Picture from Highland Archaeology Festival.