Scawt Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scawt Hill |
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Scawt Hill from the Sallagh Road, Cairncastle
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 378 m (1,240 ft) |
| Geography | |
 Location in Northern Ireland
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| Location | County Antrim, Northern Ireland |
| OSI/OSNI grid | D338090 |
| Topo map | OSNI Discoverer 9 |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Volcanic plug |
Scawt Hill is a special hill in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It's a type of hill called a volcanic plug, which means it's the leftover part of an ancient volcano. You can find it near the town of Larne, about 5 kilometers from the village of Ballygally.
The name Scawt Hill comes from the Ulster Scots language. It might mean "scaly" or "rugged," like a rough surface. Another idea is that "scawt" means "scruffy," and when used for rocks, it could mean covered in barnacles.
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Discovering New Minerals at Scawt Hill
Scawt Hill is super famous among scientists because it's the first place where several unique minerals were found. These minerals are called hydrated calcium silicates. Think of them as special rocky compounds that contain water and calcium.
These minerals formed a long, long time ago. Hot, melted rock (called magma) from an ancient volcano pushed its way up through the ground. This magma was super hot and touched the existing rock, which was mostly chalk. The intense heat changed the chalk, creating these brand-new minerals.
Here are some of the minerals first discovered at Scawt Hill:
- Larnite: Found in 1929, this mineral is a natural form of belite. It was named after Larne, the closest town.
- Scawtite: Also discovered in 1929.
- Portlandite: Found in 1933.
- Hydrocalumite: Discovered in 1934.
- Rankinite: Found in 1942.
- Bredigite: Discovered in 1948.
In total, scientists have found 28 different minerals at this amazing site!
Volcanic Plugs in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has over 30 volcanic plugs scattered around, especially along the Antrim coast, just like Scawt Hill. These plugs are quite rare in the rest of Ireland.
It's often easy to spot a volcanic plug. The rock inside the plug is usually much harder than the surrounding land. Over millions of years, wind and rain wear away the softer rock, but the harder plug remains, standing tall as a hill.
The biggest volcanic plug in Northern Ireland is called Slemish. It's shaped like an oval and is over 1 kilometer wide at its widest point. Scawt Hill is a more typical size for a volcanic plug. It measures about 270 meters by 180 meters and rises 30 to 60 meters above the white chalk rock around it.
The super hot magma from the volcano changed the chalk around Scawt Hill. This process is called thermal metamorphism, which means "change by heat." This is why so many unusual minerals formed here. The rocks inside the volcano's vent also changed as the magma mixed with the chalk.
Early Discoveries at Scawt Hill
A scientist named Cecil Edgar Tilley was the first to realize how special Scawt Hill was. In 1929, he wrote about it in the Mineralogical Magazine. Tilley was the one who named the minerals scawtite and larnite. Later, he also named rankinite. His work inspired many other scientists to look for similar rock changes around the world.
Protected Status for Scawt Hill
In 1995, Scawt Hill was given a special protected status. It was named an Area of Special Scientific Interest. This is not just because of its important geology and unique minerals. It's also protected for its plant life, as it has both chalky and alkaline soil conditions close together. Plus, it's a good place for certain birds to breed.
The Ulster Way Walking Route
Scawt Hill is part of the Ulster Way, which is a long series of walking paths that go all around Ulster. Hikers on the Ulster Way pass by Scawt Hill as they walk between the Black Hill and the Sallagh Braes.
