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Visit Commonwealth Games 2014, Visit Glasgow

May 4, 2012 catswhiskers Comments off

Commonwealth Games 2014, Glasgow

This evening, I am focusing on the 2014 Commonwealth Games( the 20th such event) which are to be held in Glasgow, Scotland between July 23rd and August 3rd 2014. Some key facts:

Seventeen sports comprising: Athletics, Aquatics, Boxing, Badminton, Weight Lifting, Lawn Bowls, Hockey, Rugby 7s, Squash, Netball, Cycling, Shooting, Wrestling, Gymnastics, Judo, Table Tennis and Triathlon.
The Games will be staged in three clusters: East End, South Side and West End.
Cost estimated at GBP500m (about USD800m).
6500 athletes.
The biggest multi-cultural sports event hosted in Scotland.
Legacy will be important.

Clearly, the Games will result in a surge of visitor numbers. Already Glasgow attracts some 3.0m visitors per annum.

Glasgow can offer a wide range of attractions and sites including Roman Era, Picts, Medieval, Industrial history, Art, Architecture and Design. See this blog post for an overview.

Art, Culture, Glasgow, Glasgow Architecture, Locations, Roman Scotland, Scotland tour, Sport, Tours none

Visit Sycamore Gap, Visit Hadrian’s Wall

May 3, 2012 catswhiskers Comments off

Sycamore Gap, Hadrian's Wall, England

This evening, I am focusing on an what has become an iconic site in northern England, Sycamore Gap on the line of Hadrian’s Wall.

This site rose to fame in tandem with the 1991 Hollywood film ‘Robin Hood,Prince of Thieves’ starring Kevin Costner.

Sycamore Gap is close to Milecastle 39, Bardon Mill and Vindolanda.

Images shown here were taken from the B6318 which runs parallel to the Wall.

Sycamore Gap, Hadrian's Wall, England

Sycamore Gap, Northumberland, England

Great photo opps, but there is no parking or view point and the road is narrow.

England, Hadrians Wall, History, Locations, Nature, Roman Britain, Tours none

Visit Barr Hill Roman Fort, Visit Antonine Wall

May 2, 2012 catswhiskers Comments off

Barr Hill Roman Fort, Antonine Wall, Scotland

This evening, I am focusing on the fort at Barr Hill which sits approximately in the middle of the Antonine Wall which served as the northern frontier of the Roman Empire from around AD 142 to AD 164. The Wall ran across the ‘waist’ of Scotland from Carriden in the east to Old Kilpatrick in the west along which were interspersed some 18 forts, one of which being that at Barr Hill. The fort included standard features: a H.Q.building, granaries, bathhouse, latrine, barrack blocks and praetorium ( residence) for the garrison commander.

Inscriptions indicate that Barr Hill was garrisoned by cohors 1 Hamiorum, a Syrian archer unit and later by cohors 1 Baetasiorum from the Rhine.

Other features of Barr Hill:

Located at highest point (150m) on the line of the Wall.
Covered an area of 3.2 acres.
Construction comprised a rampart of turf on stone base protected by ditches.
Not directly attached to the Wall as summit location offered strategically important views northwards towards the Campsie Fells.
The Military Way (road) passed between the fort and the Wall.
A Roman Camp has been identified just to the south of the fort which may suggest it served as a construction camp during construction of the fort.

Well and foundations of fort buildings.

Barr Hill Roman Fort, Antonine Wall, Scotland

Bathhouse remains.

Bath House, Barr Hill Roman Fort, Antonine Wall

A ‘must see’ for Roman aficionados like me!

Antonine Wall and Forth and Clyde Canal, Buildings, History, Roman Britain, Roman Scotland, Tours none

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