We have been waiting a long time for a clear day, when the heather is in full bloom to take to the skies for the project DVD. We have postponed the filming quite a few times now due to horrible weather, so the stretch of blue sky was exactly what I had wished for when I awoke that morning!

I arrived at Hawarden airport and was greeted by the crew and our specialist photographer David Bailey (no, really!) and set off on our first flight- the Clwydian Range AONB, beginning at the coast, flying south.

After flying around Moel y Parc, we spent a bit of time at Penycloddiau hillfort. Approaching the huge ditches and banks from the air was spectacular. Although I often tell people that Penycloddiau is one of the largest hillforts in Wales, seeing it from the air you begin to appreciate what a mammoth task building a hillfort would have been- especially using antler picks and animal shoulder blades for shovels- no easy task!

We circled Moel Arthur hillfort a few times before heading south to Moel y Gaer Llanbedr and Moel Famau, past the numerous cuts and burns in the heather. This really made me see the benefits of cutting and burning the moorland for not only biodiversity reasons but for agriculture, as all of the sheep were grazing in the strips.

The Jubilee Tower looked amazing from the air and after waving to a few walkers we flew over Coed Moel Famau (wow- it’s huge!), Loggerheads Country Park, Bryn Alyn and on towards Moel Fenlli hillfort.

We had a good view of the footpath erosion/conservation work going on at Fenlli and then, after a quick stop in a field to wipe a fly off the lens, we headed back to the airport to re-fuel for our next leg.

Although just outside of the project area we had a fly past Eglwyseg near Llangollen and then Castell Dinas Bran- an icon in itself, but did you know this was originally a hillfort too?

The heather looked brilliant as we flew west following the ridge of Llantysilio Mountains, although it’s such a shame to see the extent of the off-road damage, like a scar running along the top of the hills.

Moel y Gaer hillfort, although only tiny, looked great from the skies. Amazing to think that the monument has lasted around 2500 years but now is being damaged so quickly and could be lost forever due to the illegal off-roaders.

Next, we set off west towards Corwen and Caer Drewyn hillfort. I have visited the hillfort many times, but seeing it from the air you suddenly realise how big our hillforts are and it makes you very proud to have them on your doorstep. I often say how lucky I am to have such a great job looking after ancient monuments in such an outstanding landscape and today was certainly worth the wait to see it all from the skies!