All booted up for a real Roman Holiday

Their plans for the afternoon include marching on the Roman bathhouse and Bothwellhaugh Roman Fort for the first time in 2,000 years.

Activities will be taking place between 11am and 4pm, and people are welcome to drop-in at any time.

Dressed in military uniform with replica arms and equipment, the Guard will set up a basic military camp and put on spectacular battle drills and weaponry displays throughout the day.

There will also be Roman cooking demos (but possibly no stuffed dormice today) and the chance to try out replica chain mail, helmets, wooden shields and swords.

Visitors will be able to enjoy the Bathhouse restored to its former glory, thanks to a partnership project between Phoenix Futures, North Lanarkshire Country Parks and CAVLP Heritage.

It is the only standing stone Roman remains in Scotland, and is one of four bath houses open to the public.

There’s also the opportunity to take part in a live archaeological survey of the Roman Bathhouse, helping to record a snapshot of the present condition of the refurbished site for the future.

The fun day marks the launch of a new project, Investigating the Past, which is looking for volunteers to help unearth the forgotten stories of the iron and medieval ages in the Clyde and Avon Valley this summer in two archaeological excavations.

The excavations will take place at two of the area’s most enigmatic Ancient Monuments - Black Hill, Blackwood and Castle Qua, Cartland Craigs, Lanark.

The excavations will be the first to explore the archaeology of the first millennia in the area since the 1930s.

To volunteer to take part on the archaeological excavations, get in touch with Dr Paul Murtagh, CAVLP Heritage Project Officer, at [email protected] / 01555 661 555.

The project is led by CAVLP Heritage and managed by Northlight Heritage, with support from Heritage Lottery Fund Scotland and LEADER supported Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership - CAVLP and Historic Environment Scotland.