Normally volunteers in Fife would be gearing up to start a new season of guided tours of the famous Wemyss Caves.
Things are a bit different in 2020 of course, but the Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society (SWACS) are still giving people the chance to learn more about the caves and the ancient carvings adorning their walls, many of them dating to Pictish times.
Their not-so-secret weapon is the Wemyss Caves 4D website, which has been created using laser scanning and drone photography of the site.
Using the website, anyone can navigate their own tour of the caves over the internet, but the group’s big idea is to use the 3D models of the caves to give people a full live guided tour experience.
The guide will take visitors inside the caves and shine a virtual torch on the carvings, while explaining what people should be looking at and filling them in on lots of interesting historical detail.
There will also be assistants on hand waiting to answer questions on Facebook Chat.
“Maybe nothing can quite replace the experience of actually being there,” said vice-chairwoman Sue Hamstead.
“But in the face of necessity we have to be inventive, and in fact what we’re offering in some ways surpasses a normal physical tour: you don’t have to be in Fife yourself to take part and there are no flights of steps to walk up to get you around the route.
“What’s more, the virtual tour can show you what the site looked like in ages past.
“It can also take you into a cave that is no longer accessible and show you carvings that no longer exist.”
The first ever live virtual tour will take place at 2pm on Sunday, April 5, and can be accessed via the SWACS Facebook page at facebook.com/SaveWemyssAncientCavesSociety.
