Scottish Warriors take ‘Charge’ in BelfastTwo burly warriors, who starred in Hollywood blockbusters including Gladiator and Thor 2, stopped traffic in Belfast City Centre today to ‘encourage’ NI visitors to do battle at Bannockburn Live,

TWO burly warriors, who starred in Hollywood blockbusters including Gladiator and Thor 2, took commuters by surprise in Belfast City Centre today.

They were in the city to ‘encourage’ NI visitors to do battle at Bannockburn Live, a large-scale re-enactment of the legendary clash taking place on Saturday 28th, Sunday 29th and Monday 30th June 2014 in Scotland.

Northern Ireland fans including Arlo Kilpatrick, aged 10, are being invited to step back in time to June 1314 and soak up the atmosphere, sights and sounds of medieval life and experience.

The event is the largest of its nature in Scotland. It captures every essence of Scottish culture and has something to delight the whole family whether you are a foodie, music fan or history lover. It is home not only to the ‘Encampment’ but to a ‘Music Arena’, where the stage will come alive with over 300 performers including Julie Fowlis, Dougie McLean, Karine Polwart and Rachel Sermanni. There is also a ‘Storyville’ tent where Scotland’s culture and history will be told by a range of artists, from writers to stand-up comedians and renowned singer songwriters, and a ‘Land of Food and Drink’ tent for foodies.

A ‘Clan and Family Village’ will see a gathering of 40 clans who have travelled from across the globe, making it the perfect place for Ulster Scots and local ancestry enthusiasts to find out if they were related to anyone that fought at the battle.

Bannockburn Live will run from 10am – 7pm on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 June. Tickets are available at www.bannockburnlive.com Adults (14yrs+) £20; Children (5-13yrs) £12.50; Family ticket £55.00; Children under 5 years go free. Up to 20,000 tickets are available for the weekend.

This medieval experience is just a short flight away. Northern Ireland air routes cover various cities including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Prestwick, Inverness and Aberdeen from local airports, George Best Belfast City Airport, Belfast International Airport and City of Derry Airport. Additional easy access routes from Northern Ireland to Scotland include short ferry trips from Belfast to Cairnryan and Larne to Troon and Cairnryan. For more information, go to www.visitscotland.com.