PREPARE to step back in time as the Borders gears up for its biggest and best ever heritage festival.

Dozens of fascinating and exciting events have been planned during the three-weeks-long local history lesson.

From Knight School, where you can don some armour and learn medieval warfare, and abbey window designing with experts to guided tours through some of the region’s forgotten settlements and even a walk down memory lane on the tracks of Peeblesshire’s railways.

Some of the Borders’ best loved houses, including Traquair, Bowhill and Abbotsford, are opening their doors with behind the scenes tours.

And the Romans of Trimontium will play their part at bringing the past to life.

Although it is now into its seventh year, this year’s packed programme of events takes the Borders Heritage Festival onto a new platform.

And hopes are high that record numbers will take advantage of the wide-ranging attractions.

Julie Nock, co-ordinator of the Borders Heritage Festival, told us: “This year we approached the Borders Heritage Festival in a new way by reaching out to heritage sites across the Borders and encouraging them to join the festival programme.

“We have had a fantastic response and hope that the general public will support the many family friendly and local interest events that are taking place this September.

“We have a great range of events for children and families like making a 16th century spy map at Eyemouth Fort, getting expert instruction from Les Amis d’Onno on how to sword fight at Knight School or designing a window for Melrose Abbey.” Many museums and galleries are holding exhibitions to coincide with the entire 2015 Heritage Festival.

An On Track exhibition featuring Peeblesshire’s railway history will run throughout in the Chambers Institution, a display of Roman coins and artefacts will be on display in Melrose’s Heritage Centre and Hawick Museum are pulling on the polka dots and leg-warmers as they celebrate the 1980s.

There is an evening of expert advice on offer at Robert Smail’s Printing Works in Innerleithen on how to preserve our very own ancient documents and tomes.

And a historic creative writing workshop has been pencilled in for Kelso.

But it will be the beautiful Borders countryside which will likely attract the greatest numbers with some fascinating guided-walks planned for most days - which includes a four-stages guided trek along St Cuthbert’s Way.

Julie added: “The Borders is packed full of unique heritage sites that attract visitors from far and wide yet many people in the Borders have never visited our world famous sites like Abbotsford, Traquiar or one of the Borders Abbeys.

“We hope the Heritage Festival programme will encourage everyone to come along and see something in the festival. Many of the events are free so there’s no excuse not to get involved in this year’s Borders Heritage Festival.” The Borders Heritage Festival begins on Saturday, September 5 and runs through to Wednesday, September 30.