Researchers are examining what an Aberdeenshire landmark means to the local community as part of a national study.
Experts from universities in Aberdeen, Sheffield and Cardiff are working together to explore how hills and the Iron Age hill forts are valued by local residents and how they use them.
During the project, named on Shared Ground, the team will collect stories and memories from users of Bennachie, and record footage for a film.
Other focuses include the elusive Caerau Hill Fort in Cardiff, which is partly hidden beneath woodland – meaning even those living on the three housing estates surrounding it do not realise it is there. The hill fort at Wincobank in Sheffield also has a similar hidden story.
Project co-ordinator Kim Marwood said: “We wanted to work with these communities to explore some of the existing heritage narratives.
“We worked with the Bailies of Bennachie but also wanted to make contact with a broader community who perhaps know very little about the hill forts themselves.”
Miss Marwood said the three locations had all been part of previous studies but this was the first time they would be compared with each other.
Footage from a workshop held at the Bennachie Centre earlier this week will be used to create a DVD on the project. Participants used video cameras – strapped to their chests to give a first person perspective – to capture their walk up the hill.
Miss Marwood added: “At Wincobank in Sheffield there is a heritage group who are interested in Iron Age history but also local residents who go up there to play or take part in illegitimate things like joy-riding.
“And at St Mary’s Church on Caerau Hill Fort in Cardiff there are young people that hang out there but it is also subjected to some graffitti.
“There aren’t the same sort of social problems associated with Bennachie but we wanted to get a sense of how locals view the site.”
Footage from the workshop will be used to create a project DVD which will be available online at
http://communityheritage.group.shef.ac.uk/projects/on-shared-ground/
after the project finishes in July.