THE British landscape has more to offer than many might think.

Rock art, for example, indicates things about our prehistoric ancestors – and is there for anyone to find it if they know what to look out for on rambles in the countryside.

"You can be a landscape detective anywhere," says TV presenter and archaeology writer, Mary-Ann Ochota.

"Going for a walk, or bike ride, or drive becomes a treasure hunt.

In her talk at Darlington Central Hall on February 11, she will offer a layman’s guide to spotting history and archaeology in the British landscape.

"More than 1,000 pieces of rock art have been discovered on boulders and outcrops in Northumberland, often by members of the public," she said.

"These intriguing and mysterious markings from the late Stone Age and early Bronze Age – about 4000-500BC – still hide their secrets. But what’s certain is that there’s more rock art yet to be discovered."

Hidden Histories: A Spotter’s Guide to the British Landscape will also look at how to spot traces of Iron Age hill forts, now often grassy hilltops, once intimidating camps with vast wooden gatehouses; Roman sites, such as that at Piercebridge, near Darlington, and suggest ways to spot significant lines in the landscape.

She will cover moorland milestones, barrows – or burial mounds – some dating back more than 3,000 years; and fields.

"If you can read the shape of a field, you can tell an awful lot about the history of the landscape," she added. "The patchwork of fields familiar now is actually quite a recent development.

"From a time of communal farming to disease and greed, land hunger and wholesale cultural upheaval, the clues are often preserved in the landscape. You’ll never look at a hedge or drystone wall the same way again!"

The talk in Central Hall at the Dolphin Centre is part of the Civic Theatre programme. It starts at 7.30pm and runs until about 9.30pm, including a 20-minute interval. Tickets are £12, £11 for concessions and £10 for Royal Geographical Society members.