Llanmadoc Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Llanmadoc Hill |
|
|---|---|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 186 m (610 ft) |
| Prominence | 103 m (338 ft) |
| Listing | HuMP |
| Naming | |
| Language of name | Welsh |
| Geography | |
| Location | Swansea,  Wales |
| OS grid | SS 430924 |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 159 / Explorer 164 |
Llanmadoc Hill is a cool hill in South Wales, standing 186 meters (about 610 feet) tall. It's located at the northwest tip of the Gower Peninsula, near the city of Swansea.
The top of the hill has a special marker called a trig point. This marker helps mapmakers know the exact height and location. On the eastern side, you'll find old earthworks called The Bulwark. These are ancient walls and ditches made of earth, probably built a long time ago. There are also many old stone piles, called cairns, scattered across the top of the hill. These were built in prehistoric times, meaning before written history.
Llanmadoc Hill is very close to the coast, only about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the sea. This means you can enjoy amazing views from the top! You can see the western part of the peninsula, the Loughor estuary, Rhossili Bay, and Carmarthen Bay.
How Llanmadoc Hill Was Formed
Llanmadoc Hill is made from a type of rock called Old Red Sandstone. Imagine a giant wave of rock that folded upwards; that's how the hill was formed! Geologists call this a rock fold an anticline. The hardest part of the hill, its core, is made of very strong sandstone. The sides of the hill are covered by a different type of rock called quartz conglomerates. These rocks look like pebbles cemented together.
The lower parts of the hill are covered by something called glacial till. This is a mix of clay, sand, and rocks that were left behind by ancient glaciers (huge sheets of ice) that moved across the land a very long time ago.
Exploring Llanmadoc Hill
Most of Llanmadoc Hill is considered "open country." This means that people can walk freely across almost the entire hill. This is allowed thanks to a law called the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
Besides the open areas, there are also many public footpaths and bridleways that crisscross the hill. These are special paths where people can walk or ride horses. They connect to the smaller roads that go around the hill. The National Trust, a charity that protects special places, owns and looks after the eastern part of the hill, including the area around The Bulwark.
