Hay Bluff
Encyclopedia
Hay Bluff is a prominent hill at the northern tip of the Black Mountains
, an extensive upland massif which straddles the border between south-east Wales
and England
. Its flat summit which overlooks the middle Wye Valley
and the book town
of Hay-on-Wye
is marked by a triangulation pillar at a height of 677 metres (2,221 ft).
The hill is largely within the Welsh county of Powys
though parts of its eastern flanks lie within the English county of Herefordshire
.
laid down during the Devonian period. A number of small quarries have been worked on its slopes in the past, not least for the Ffynnon Limestone, a calcrete which crops out along the northeastern and northwestern flanks of the hill at the base of the Senni Beds.
makes a steep ascent of the hill's northern slopes and then heads southeastwards along the broad ridge of the Black Mountain
. A more gentle path to the summit follows the crest of the north-facing scarp, known as Ffynnon y Parc, from the road summit about 1 mile / 1.7 km to the southwest at Gospel Pass
. The entire hill is designated as open country thus providing walkers with the freedom to roam at will.
Black Mountains, Wales
The Black Mountains are a group of hills spread across parts of Powys and Monmouthshire in southeast Wales, and extending across the national border into Herefordshire, England. They are the easternmost of the four ranges of hills that comprise the Brecon Beacons National Park, and are frequently...
, an extensive upland massif which straddles the border between south-east Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Its flat summit which overlooks the middle Wye Valley
Wye Valley
The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an internationally important protected landscape straddling the border between England and Wales. It is one of the most dramatic and scenic landscape areas in southern Britain....
and the book town
Book town
A book town is a town or village with a large number of second-hand or antiquarian book shops. These shops, and sometimes also literary festivals, attract bibliophile tourists to them...
of Hay-on-Wye
Hay-on-Wye
Hay-on-Wye , often described as "the town of books", is a small market town and community in Powys, Wales.-Location:The town lies on the east bank of the River Wye and is within the Brecon Beacons National Park, just north of the Black Mountains...
is marked by a triangulation pillar at a height of 677 metres (2,221 ft).
The hill is largely within the Welsh county of Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
though parts of its eastern flanks lie within the English county of Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
.
Geology
The base and indeed greater part of the hill is formed from mudstones of the St Maughans Formation whilst the upper part is formed from the sandstones and mudstones of the Senni Beds Formation, both of which are assigned to the Old Red SandstoneOld Red Sandstone
The Old Red Sandstone is a British rock formation of considerable importance to early paleontology. For convenience the short version of the term, 'ORS' is often used in literature on the subject.-Sedimentology:...
laid down during the Devonian period. A number of small quarries have been worked on its slopes in the past, not least for the Ffynnon Limestone, a calcrete which crops out along the northeastern and northwestern flanks of the hill at the base of the Senni Beds.
Access
The Offa's Dyke national trailOffa's Dyke Path
Offa's Dyke Path is a long distance footpath along the Welsh-English border. Opened in 1971, it is one of Britain's premier National Trails and draws walkers from throughout the world...
makes a steep ascent of the hill's northern slopes and then heads southeastwards along the broad ridge of the Black Mountain
Black Mountain (hill)
Twyn Llech also known as Black Mountain is a mountain in the Black Mountains . It is the only Marilyn to fall exactly on the Welsh-English border, straddling Powys and Herefordshire...
. A more gentle path to the summit follows the crest of the north-facing scarp, known as Ffynnon y Parc, from the road summit about 1 mile / 1.7 km to the southwest at Gospel Pass
Gospel Pass
The Gospel Pass is a high road pass at the head of the Vale of Ewyas in the Black Mountains of southeast Wales. The narrow mountain road climbs steeply from Hay-on-Wye to a height of 538m above sea level, squeezing between the mountains of Twmpa to the west and Hay Bluff to the east, before...
. The entire hill is designated as open country thus providing walkers with the freedom to roam at will.