Curlethney Hill facts for kids
Curlethney Hill is a natural landform in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is part of the Mounth Range, which is a section of the Grampian Mountains. This hill reaches a height of 246 metres (about 807 feet) above sea level. You can find Curlethney Hill a little southwest of the village of Netherley. The open, wild land on top of Curlethney Hill is bordered on its northwest side by another nearby peak called Craggie Cat.
What is Curlethney Hill Made Of?
Curlethney Hill is almost completely covered in what's called moorland. Moorland is a type of open, often wet, land that has a lot of low-growing plants like heather.
Water from the northern and eastern parts of Curlethney Hill flows into a stream called Crynoch Burn. This water then reaches an area known as the Red Moss. The water in the Red Moss is quite acidic, meaning it has a low pH level (around 5.67 in summer). This low pH might be partly caused by water draining from the peaty moorland on Curlethney Hill and a nearby hill called Meikle Carewe Hill.
The southwestern side of Curlethney Hill drains into another stream called Cowton Burn. This stream then joins the Cowie Water.
Plans for a Wind Farm
There have been plans to build a wind farm on Curlethney Hill and other nearby high ground. A company called Renewable Energy Resources asked the Aberdeenshire Council for permission to build 12 wind turbines.
Four of these turbines were planned for Curlethney Hill itself. Two more would be placed in the lower areas on either side of the hill. Each turbine would stand about 70 metres (about 230 feet) tall. If built, the whole wind farm could create enough electricity for about 5,000 homes.
However, some people have concerns about the wind farm. These concerns include:
- Noise: The sound the turbines might make.
- Visual impact: How the tall turbines would look on the landscape.
- Ecological disturbance: How the wind farm might affect local wildlife and nature.
