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Corstorphine Hill
Corstorphine Hill is a low ridge-shaped hill rising above the western suburbs of Edinburgh, Scotland. Although there has been residential and commercial development on its lower slopes, especially in the south and west, most of the hill is occupied by a local nature reserve, consisting of extensive broadleaf woodland, accessible to the public.
The hill, which is composed largely of dolerite, was formed by the west-to-east movement of glaciers during the Pleistocene period. There is evidence of prehistoric settlement. Today the hill is popular with walkers, dog-walkers and joggers. Among its interesting features are a 19th-century tower, a walled garden and a Cold War bunker.
Corstorphine Hill is located approximately 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) west of Edinburgh's city centre. It is surrounded by residential suburbs, in particular by Barnton and Davidson's Mains to the north, Blackhall and Murrayfield to the east, Clerwood and Clermiston to the west, and Corstorphine to the south.
The hill is a prominent feature of Edinburgh's skyline. It appears as a long, low, L-shaped ridge, extending about 2.4 kilometres (1.5 miles) in length from north to south and rising to 161 metres (528 feet). The upper slopes, which are heavily wooded, form a local nature reserve (LNR), managed by the City of Edinburgh Forestry and Natural Heritage Service and the Friends of Corstorphine Hill. It is the largest urban woodland in the city.
By contrast, parts of the lower slopes have been built on, particularly in the south and west. The area between Kaimes Road and Clermiston Road is largely residential, consisting mainly of bungalows and small villas. Other buildings on the hill include Fox Covert Primary School, two large hotels (Capital Moat House and Holiday Inn), St Andrew's Clermiston Church, St Anne's Parish Church and the Spire Murrayfield Hospital. Some 82 acres (33 ha) of the southern slopes are occupied by Edinburgh Zoo.
Corstorphine Hill is one of Edinburgh's traditional "Seven Hills", an allusion to the Seven Hills of Rome. It is the fourth highest of the seven.
The LNR consists of three broad types of woodland. There are about 15 acres (6.1 ha) of oak and birch woods into which sycamore and beech have been introduced. Some 21 acres (8.5 ha) of mixed broadleaf woodland are present, composed primarily of native ash, oak and elm into which sycamore, lime, Norway maple, horse chestnut, sweet chestnut, beech and various conifers have been introduced. And there are about 11 acres (4.5 ha) of more formal policy woodland originally associated with Hillwood House and Calderwood House, and composed of a variety of native and non-native broadleaf and coniferous species.
There is evidence of prehistoric settlement on Corstorphine Hill. At the end of the 19th century, quarrying operations uncovered shells, bones, stone tools and pottery, while hammer stones, cup-marked stones, part of a quern and other pottery fragments from a kitchen midden have also been discovered. There are eleven cup-marks on the western slopes, nine in the shape of a pentagon with two in the centre. These were probably part of a sacred Neolithic or Bronze Age site, but their precise purpose is unknown.
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Corstorphine Hill AI simulator
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Corstorphine Hill
Corstorphine Hill is a low ridge-shaped hill rising above the western suburbs of Edinburgh, Scotland. Although there has been residential and commercial development on its lower slopes, especially in the south and west, most of the hill is occupied by a local nature reserve, consisting of extensive broadleaf woodland, accessible to the public.
The hill, which is composed largely of dolerite, was formed by the west-to-east movement of glaciers during the Pleistocene period. There is evidence of prehistoric settlement. Today the hill is popular with walkers, dog-walkers and joggers. Among its interesting features are a 19th-century tower, a walled garden and a Cold War bunker.
Corstorphine Hill is located approximately 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) west of Edinburgh's city centre. It is surrounded by residential suburbs, in particular by Barnton and Davidson's Mains to the north, Blackhall and Murrayfield to the east, Clerwood and Clermiston to the west, and Corstorphine to the south.
The hill is a prominent feature of Edinburgh's skyline. It appears as a long, low, L-shaped ridge, extending about 2.4 kilometres (1.5 miles) in length from north to south and rising to 161 metres (528 feet). The upper slopes, which are heavily wooded, form a local nature reserve (LNR), managed by the City of Edinburgh Forestry and Natural Heritage Service and the Friends of Corstorphine Hill. It is the largest urban woodland in the city.
By contrast, parts of the lower slopes have been built on, particularly in the south and west. The area between Kaimes Road and Clermiston Road is largely residential, consisting mainly of bungalows and small villas. Other buildings on the hill include Fox Covert Primary School, two large hotels (Capital Moat House and Holiday Inn), St Andrew's Clermiston Church, St Anne's Parish Church and the Spire Murrayfield Hospital. Some 82 acres (33 ha) of the southern slopes are occupied by Edinburgh Zoo.
Corstorphine Hill is one of Edinburgh's traditional "Seven Hills", an allusion to the Seven Hills of Rome. It is the fourth highest of the seven.
The LNR consists of three broad types of woodland. There are about 15 acres (6.1 ha) of oak and birch woods into which sycamore and beech have been introduced. Some 21 acres (8.5 ha) of mixed broadleaf woodland are present, composed primarily of native ash, oak and elm into which sycamore, lime, Norway maple, horse chestnut, sweet chestnut, beech and various conifers have been introduced. And there are about 11 acres (4.5 ha) of more formal policy woodland originally associated with Hillwood House and Calderwood House, and composed of a variety of native and non-native broadleaf and coniferous species.
There is evidence of prehistoric settlement on Corstorphine Hill. At the end of the 19th century, quarrying operations uncovered shells, bones, stone tools and pottery, while hammer stones, cup-marked stones, part of a quern and other pottery fragments from a kitchen midden have also been discovered. There are eleven cup-marks on the western slopes, nine in the shape of a pentagon with two in the centre. These were probably part of a sacred Neolithic or Bronze Age site, but their precise purpose is unknown.