ORGANISERS from the Cheshire West and Chester Council Habitats and Hillforts Project have announced a second attempt at the Hillfort Glow experiment.

This involves local people close to 10 hillforts on the Sandstone Ridge, the Clwydian Range, Mynydd-y-Gaer Corwen, Halkyn Mountain and the Wirral, trying to communicate between the hillforts using torch light.

An appeal for volunteers from local communities is being made to take part in this very special historical experiment on Saturday, March 19 when communication is attempted between ten ancient hillforts.

At dusk, on the evening of the March full moon, Cheshire West and Chester’s Habitats and Hillforts Project and north east Wales’ Heather and Hillforts Project will be heading for the hills. 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, originally scheduled for December 2010 but postponed due to heavy snow, aims to see if the glowing fires could have been seen across the hills and acted as a communication or warning system.

Councillor Richard Short, Executive Member for Culture and Recreation, said: “This is such an exciting and visual experiment, possibly the last time these hillforts were connected in such a way was over 2,000 years ago.”

The new date was chosen because March 19 is a full moon evening.

Further details about the Hillfort Glow can be found at the Habitats and Hillforts website, www.habitatsandhillforts .co.uk