Maiden Pap, Caithness facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maiden Pap |
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Maiden Pap
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 484 m (1,588 ft) |
| Prominence | 169 m (554 ft) |
| Listing | Marilyn |
| Geography | |
| Location | Caithness, Scotland |
| Parent range | Northwest Highlands |
| OS grid | ND048293 |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | Unknown |
| Easiest route | From Braemore |
The Maiden Pap is a special hill found in Caithness, Scotland. It stands out because it rises sharply from the flat land around it.
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About Maiden Pap
The Maiden Pap is a well-known landmark in the northern part of Scotland. It's not just any hill; it's a type of mountain called an inselberg. This means it's like an island of rock sticking up from a mostly flat area.
What is an Inselberg?
Imagine a flat, wide plain. An inselberg is a big, isolated hill or small mountain that suddenly rises from this flat landscape. The word "inselberg" comes from German and means "island mountain." These formations are often left behind when softer rocks around them have worn away over millions of years.
How Was Maiden Pap Formed?
Maiden Pap is made of a type of rock called conglomerate. This rock formed during the Devonian period, which was about 419 to 359 million years ago. Conglomerate rock is made up of many different rounded pebbles and stones that have been naturally cemented together.
Over a very long time, the land around Maiden Pap was eroded by wind, water, and ice. The hard conglomerate rock of Maiden Pap was tougher than the surrounding land. This made it stand tall and steep, while the softer areas around it wore down into a flat plain.
Seeing Maiden Pap from Afar
Because of its unique shape and how it rises so steeply, the Maiden Pap is easy to spot from far away. You can even see it from places like Hoy, which is one of the Orkney Islands. It's also visible from the Moray Firth, a large bay on Scotland's northeast coast. This makes it a famous and easily recognizable feature of the Caithness landscape.
