King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is one of the world’s greatest legends. Everyone knows the story of the boy who pulled the sword from the stone, who was mentored by the great wizard Merlin, who broke the sword and retrieved it from the Lady of the Lake, who was finally betrayed by Guinevere, leading to his final battle and his death on the Isle of Avalon.

Yet little is known of the truth behind the great story. This book enters the realm of conjectural history – the blurred middle ground between fact and fiction. Recorded events are linked to more shrouded possibilities and then compared to imprints on the landscape – the aim being to create a starting point for archaeological investigations, and to finally discover the real man known as ‘Arthur’.

The book includes detailed itineraries and maps, allowing readers to visit the locations and discover the clues for themselves. It is part of a project to develop an Arthur trail across Scotland, including the intention to build working recreations of 6th century settlements and lifestyle.