12.30 at Callander House, Falkirk and pupils of Easter Carmuirs Primary School have set off towards the Antonine Wall to build their encampment.

Meanwhile, at the Pier Arts Centre in Stromness, Orkney, the musuem cases and their Neolithic objects and poems are being readied for the final event later in the evening.

Back at New Lanark and the World Heritage Day event is well underway with a fabulous and polished performance by the pupils of New Lanark Primary School under the guidance of storyteller Jean Edmiston.

And at the Antonine Wall, at Callendar House, the pupils of Easter Carmuirs Primary School – ably assisted by the Antonine Guard – have set up their camp amongst the trees and an extraordinary collage of strange and ancient sounds from all around. The Antonine Wall project with Easter Carmuirs Primary School was led by environmental artist Ruth Macdougal.

2.30 pm. Now most of the crews from New Lanark and Callendar House have arrived in the heart of the Old Town, Edinburgh and plans are being made for the setting up of World Heritage Day in The Old Town closes.

Much further north and west, at Hotel Hebrides in Tarbert on the isle of Harris, are the beginnings of an amazing story of a stranding on Boreray, St Kida. Ian Stephen leads the project with Maggie Smith and the pupils of Sir Edward Scott School.

7.30 pm in Stromness, Orkney at the Pier Arts Centre and World Heritage Day for the Neolithic Heart of Orkney reaches its conclusion with readings of the new poetry created by the writing groups, led by Yvonne Gray. A short film in an ajoining gallery gives a reminder of an earlier part of the project and the ‘museum in a van’ events at Skara Brae and Stenness.

8.30 pm. The journey through the Old Town closes in Edinburgh has begun, Andy Howitt and his fellow dancers lead the way

And on Harris, the journey through the streets of Tarbert and the story of the stranding on Boreray is coming to its conclusion.

And Finally, just after nine O’clock, on Fleshmarket Close, Edinburgh, an avalanche of bouncing, plastic balls brings World Heritage Day to a close and the end of five distinctive and remarkable projects and events for 2011.

Edinburgh’s World Heritage event on the 18th of April was a playful and light hearted journey through historic and atmospheric spaces in the heart of The Old Town. Beginning at the bottom of Advocate’s Close on Cockburn Street, the journey led our audience though spaces that conjoured up the homes and playgrounds of generations of children. Their games, songs and rhymes filled the spaces and and, entering into the spirit of it, we all had the chance to hopscotch down the Royal Mile, dance up Cockburn Street and jump around in the giant ball pit that was Fleshmarket Close. Lots more images to follow soon.

Still to come from Orkney is new anthology of much of the poetry that was created throughout the whole project of ‘Shadows’ on Orkney. We’ll have details of how to obtain a copy here on the website very soon.

Many thanks to Jeanne Rose for her photographs of the event.

The story of Donald the seal catcher was brought to the project by Jean Edmiston, storyteller and lead artist for New Lanark. Together with the New Lanark Primary School pupils, Jean created a beautiful and moving performance piece that set out to catch a glimpse of the Highland stories and culture that would have found a home in the houses and mills of New Lanark from the earliest times.

Minutes before the event, the World Heritage Day performance was announced to the public at large with a ceremonial ringing of the New Lanark bell. This bell was originally bound for America with Highlander emigrants from Skye who were held up in port by very bad weather. The emigrants were persuaded to come and work in the mills at New Lanark, and the bell they were taking to the new world came too.

Images of St. Kilda appeared behind numerous windows along the route – photographic images of the island group and its wildlife as well as giant reproductions of the fantastic artwork of the pupils of the school.

We’ll have more on the story and the various contributions along the way here soon.

Jeanne Rose (pictured) read some of her poems on Monday evening; her artwork will feature on the cover of our poetry anthology, ‘Shadows of our Ancestors’. It was a great event here on Monday  – six writers read their own work as well as pieces written by others for the project. There were haiku, riddles and various other lyric and narrative poems inspired by the visits to Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stenness and the settlement at Barnhouse with Historic Scotland Rangers Sandra Miller and Elaine Clarke (seen in the background here, dismantling one of the museum cases). There was a performance of the Renga written in Maeshowe and Skara Brae – for each verse, musician and composer Gemma McGregor improvised some music on the flute.

Once the legions tents were erected amongst the trees, there was some serious marching to be done and battles to be fought!….Finally a truce was called and the soldiers returned to a banquet of olives, figs, Door mice and wine ( black current – diluted). Well done Primary 4!!!