Black Hill (Herefordshire) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black Hill |
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Black Hill
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 640 m (2,100 ft) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Herefordshire,  England |
| Parent range | Black Mountains |
| OS grid | SO274348 |
The Black Hill (also called Crib y Garth) is a hill in the Black Mountains. It is located in Herefordshire, England, close to the border with Wales. The hill is about 640 meters (2100 feet) tall.
Many people know Black Hill as the 'Cat's Back'. If you look at it from Herefordshire, it really does look like a cat getting ready to pounce! The southern part of the hill has a narrow, rocky ridge. This ridge offers amazing views on both sides. The northern part of the hill crosses a peat bog, which is a wet, marshy area.
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Exploring Black Hill
Black Hill is a great place for a walk! There is a small parking area at the southern end of the hill's ridge. You can find it by following small roads from Longtown, Herefordshire. This spot is usually marked on maps.
Walking the Ridge
The path from the car park to the top of the hill is easy to follow. It's a clear trail, especially on a sunny day. Along the way, you will see two large piles of stones called cairns. These cairns are past the rocky parts of the 'Cat's Back'. Near the very top, there might be a small pool of water in the peat. Its size depends on how much rain has fallen.
Further Adventures
You can keep walking from the summit along a clear path to Hay Bluff. This is another well-known peak above Hay-on-Wye. The path also leads towards the Gospel Pass. You can return the same way you came. Or, you could take a different route along the Offa's Dyke Path. This path follows the Hatterrall Ridge.
Open Land and Animals
The Black Hill is considered common land. This means everyone is welcome to explore it, both on and off the paths. You will often see sheep, ponies, and cattle grazing freely on the hill.
How Black Hill Was Formed
The Black Hill has a unique shape. It's a long ridge that runs from the north-west to the south-east. The top parts of the hill are made of a type of rock called Old Red Sandstone. This rock formed during the Devonian period many millions of years ago.
Landslides and Rocks
Underneath the strong sandstone are softer mudstones. This mix of hard and soft rock can make the hill's sides unstable. Because of this, you can see small landslips (where parts of the hill have slid down) in different places. There are even bigger landslides on nearby hills, like the Skirrid. These large landslides probably happened at the end of the last Ice age. This was when melting ice and water weakened the ground. You can also find many flat "rock tables" on the ridge. Here, you can see the details of how the rocks are joined together.
Wildlife of Black Hill
Black Hill is home to many different kinds of birds. If you visit, keep an eye out for them!
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Birds of Prey
You might spot amazing birds of prey like the red kite, common buzzard, and kestrel. These birds often fly high in the sky. They use warm air currents, called thermals, to glide without flapping their wings much. The common raven and carrion crow are also common. You might also hear the beautiful song of the skylark. Red kites used to only live in this area and parts of South Wales. But now, they have been successfully introduced to many other parts of southern Britain.
Black Hill in Books
The Black Hill was the setting for a famous novel. The writer Bruce Chatwin used the hill as the background for his book On the Black Hill.
