So it’s finally here- eight schools in two days visiting Coed Llangwyfan and Penycloddiau hillfort! So the first day of the job is the most important: the delivery of the portaloo brought in for the primary school pupils who are coming to visit us from all over Denbighshire and Flintshire!

After erecting the two flags at the entrances to the car park our historical characters appear, as if from nowhere, and take their places on the hillside… They have all lived, worked or visited these hills and we’re very lucky to meet them- these are the people who have made the hill’s history- our ancestors!

As the first school arrives from Ysgol Bro Cinmeirch we all have a quick chat about the day and the countryside code before we begin our ascent to the hillfort, meeting our friends from the past along the way, travelling further back in time as we get higher up the hill.

We find ourselves in the middle of the Great War at our first stop and meet Private Mason- a soldier enlisted in the Canadian Army, based at Kinmel Camp near Bodelwyddan. At first we don’t understand why he hasn’t heard of ‘World War One’ or ‘World War Two’ but then realise that at the time they didn’t realise there would be more than one ‘Great War’! In his spare time he enjoyed visiting the countryside and the hills- what a view!

As we leave Private Mason behind to tuck into his corned beef, we find ourselves in the Age of Queen Victoria, meeting Jack the Grouse, a gamekeeper who used to look after the moorland. He explained that he was there to protect the grouse from predators and poachers- I’m sure his gun scared a lot of them off!

As we approach the hillfort of Penycloddiau we see a figure in the distance who beckons us over. It’s a knight! As we get closer we all get a shock as he is attacked by an enemy and then we realise that this is the Welsh and the Saxon fighting over their lands. The Saxon is sent packing back towards Offa’s Dyke!

As we continue on along our journey we travel back a few more hundred years to what we call ‘The Iron Age’ and meet a Celtic woman at the entrance to the hillfort. Her husband died in battle and now she rules the land and looks after the hillfort. She shows us her treasure that will be thrown in to the lake as an offering to the gods in return for their protection.

We enjoy a further two walks back in time up to the hillfort with St David’s and Ysgol Maesglas on Thursday and spend Friday with Ysgol Trefnant, Henllan, Glan Aber, Tir Morfa and Rhos Street schools before travelling back to the coaches and back to the future- two days we will never forget!