Discovering and accessing the Sandstone Ridge

Interpretation of the Sandstone Ridge and the Habitats and Hillforts Scheme in particular has been and continues to be an important part of the scheme. The main objectives are:

  • To help local people and visitors to understand and appreciate more the ecological and historical interest of the Sandstone Ridge and to aid their enjoyment
  • To help landowners and land managers to understand and appreciate more the assets in their care
  • To help promote access to the hillforts and encourage people to use the Sandstone Trail and other local footpath routes
  • To help explain something of the landscape and heritage management operations that are taking place
  • To provide teaching materials and aids that assist local school and other educational groups to use the area more for environmental and heritage education
  • To encourage visitors to use the footpaths, bridleway and access areas and avoid disturbance to agricultural and private land
  • To encourage people to volunteer and get involved in the Scheme
  • To publicise the Landscape Partnership Scheme, particularly amongst local people in West Cheshire

Interpreting the landscape

Throughout the scheme interpretation of the landscape is taking place. This can take the form in any of the following:

  • Guided Walks and Talks - at least 3 guided walks take place each year. In addition to this Habitat walks and Hillfort walks have also been very popular.
  • On-site Interpretation Boards - 7 onsite interpretation boards will be sited at each of the hillforts. These will mainly be located on approach paths to the hillforts. They are designed to alert walkers to the heritage interest of these important sites.
  • Leaflets - these will form an important legacy for the project.
  • Virtual Tour and Modern Technology Communication
  • Archaeological Survey Demonstrations. Geophysics survey training days will be run annually, as well as training excavations.
  • Community History and Reminiscence 'Captured Memories'. 
  • Training Events - There is a full Training Plan with a large range of educational and training activity
  • Ecological Surveys and Species ID
  • Environmental Art and Theatre
  • Artist in Residence - Patricia Mackinnon Days 'Private Views Made Public'
  • Storytelling
  • Web Site
  • Curriculum linked education days
  • Annual Celebration Event
  • Community events raising awareness

Interpretation Themes

At the beginning of the scheme, interpretation themes were set and these are being delivered across all 4 programmes, Hillforts, Habitats, Access and Training and volunteering. The themes are as follows:

  • “The Sandstone Ridge is an interesting geological feature which has been modified during the ice ages and through peri-glacial activity”.
  • “The Ridge was important in influencing the early settlement pattern of this part of Cheshire”.
  • “The Sandstone Ridge contains a range of important prehistoric sites including hillforts, burial mounds, ring ditches and finds of stone tools”.
  • “The early Iron Age hillforts along the Ridge are important historical sites, but we do not understand enough about their origins and uses”.
  • “The late medieval period was the most important period for the development of settlement and the management of hunting and commercial forests”.
  • “The Ridge is one of the most wooded parts of the county with some 12% of the area under trees. The three main areas of woodland are around Frodsham and Kelsall in the north, Delamere in the centre and the Peckforton Hills in the south. The woodlands have an interesting ecology and management and some are remnants of the former hunting forests”.
  • “Unimproved grasslands that have not been drained or fertilised are rare in the County, but remnants are found in the Scheme area and are rich in flora and insect life”.
  • “Heathlands are another rare habitat – there are two main areas at Bickerton Hill/Maiden Castle and at Little Budworth Common – some distance from the Ridge. There is scope to extend areas of heathland elsewhere along the Ridge”.
  • “Water bodies are important ecological habitats and farm ponds and glacial meres and mosses (in varying stages of succession) add variety to the landscape and provide wetland habitats”.