Midlands
The English Midlands are predominantly flat in character, although isolated hills such as Turners Hill can command extensive views. In the west, the Shropshire Hills, close to the Welsh border, reach heights of over 500 m, including the Long Mynd, Clee Hills and Stiperstones ridge. Wenlock Edge, running through the middle of the Shropshire Hills AONB, is a long, low ridge, which extends for over 15 miles (24 km). Further south, the Welsh border reaches over 700 m high, at Black Mountain, which is thus the highest point in Herefordshire.
Other small areas of lower hills in the Midlands include Cannock Chase in the Staffordshire and the Charnwood Forest in Leicestershire.
The Cotswolds extend over 90 miles (140 km), and over six counties (Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Warwickshire and Worcestershire), but centred on Gloucestershire. They reach 330 m high at Cleeve Hill, and were designated an AONB in 1966.
The Malverns are made from some of the oldest rock in England (around 680 million years old) and extend some 13 km (8 miles) through two West Midlands counties Worcestershire and Herefordshire as well as northern Gloucestershire in the southwest. The highest point of the hills is the Worcestershire Beacon at 425 metres (1,394 ft) above sea level (OS Grid reference SO768452).
Read more about this topic: Mountains And Hills Of England
Famous quotes containing the word midlands:
“Sunday night meant, in the dark, wintry, rainy Midlands ... anywhere where two creatures might stand and squeeze together and spoon.... Spooning was a fine art, whereas kissing and cuddling are calf-processes.”
—D.H. (David Herbert)