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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 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

Explore Firth of Clyde, Explore Scotland

March 12, 2012 catswhiskers Comments off

: Sailing, Firth of Forth, Scotland

This evening, I am focusing on the Firth of Clyde, S.W.Scotland. Firth is a Scottish word meaning bay or estuary which in this case means the broadening stretch of water where the River Clyde enters the sea. This area has a long history dating back to Roman times, has numerous castles dotted along the edges, was at the forefront of the Iindustrial Revolution but today is perhaps best known for activities such as sailing and as a cruise ship destination (Greenock). A summary of some of the more important places and sites is as follows:

Dumbarton Castle, location of a the centre of a former ancient Kingdom of Strathclyde ( before Scotland was unified in the 9th century AD).
Port Glasgow, famous for shipbuilding and base of the P.S.Comet, Europe’s first successful steamboat service dating from 1812.
Newark Castle, also at Port Glasgow.
Lurg Moor Roman Fortlet, high on the moor above Greenock. Today, large cruise ships call in at Greenock.
Helensburgh, an upscale residential area where can be found Hill House, by Rennie Mackintosh.
The holiday destination of Dunoon.
Inverkip, famous for its sailing boats and marinas.
Largs, site of a defining 13th centurymarine battle and now a popular residential location with a marina.
Isle of Bute
Interesting geology and raised beaches.
Great Cumbrae Island
Portencross Castle
Ardrossan harbour and ferry port. Also home to a marina.
Troon, famous for golf and and as a ferry port.
Isle of Arran