A very special historical experiment takes place on Sunday, 5 December, when communication is attempted between ten ancient hillforts.
On that day, north east Wales’ Heather and Hillforts Project and Cheshire West and Chester’s Habitats and Hillforts Project will be heading for the hills. The experiment will involve local people close to ten hillforts on the Sandstone Ridge, the Clwydian Range, Halkyn Mountain and the Wirral, trying to communicate between the hillforts using torch light.
Flares will be launched from the hillforts followed by torch light at Maiden Castle, Beeston Castle, Kelsborrow, Helsby, Burton Point, Moel y Gaer Rhosesmor, Penycloddiau, Moel Arthur, Moel Fenlli and Caer Drewyn.
Iron Age settlements can be found on many of the summits of the Sandstone Ridge, Clwydian Range and surrounding hills, dating back around 2,500 years. Most of the hillforts across the surrounding landscape can be seen from each other. The experiment is aiming to see if the glowing fires could have been seen across the hills and acted as a communication or warning system.
Flares will be fired from the hillforts and volunteers will be invited to help with this mass experiment by manning each of the ten hilltops by signalling with torches in an attempt to make contact across the landscape. Places are strictly limited, so to register to help as a volunteer for your local hillfort, visit www.heatherandhillforts.co.uk/
Once registered, volunteers will be sent information packs with exact timings to meet and what to bring.
Further details about the Hillfort Glow can also be found at the newly launched Habitats and Hillforts website – www.habitatsandhillforts.co.uk
Heather & Hillforts and Habitats and Hillforts are Landscape Partnership Schemes funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
