Cavehill

Cave Hill
Binn Uamha
Highest point
Elevation368 m (1,207 ft)
Coordinates54°38′49″N 5°57′04″W / 54.647°N 5.951°W / 54.647; -5.951
Geography
Locationnear Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Climbing
Easiest routeHike

Cave Hill or Cavehill[1] is a rocky hill overlooking the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland,with a height of 368 metres (1,207 ft). It is marked by basalt cliffs and caves, and its distinguishing feature is 'Napoleon's Nose',[2] a tall cliff resembling the profile of the emperor Napoleon. On top of this are the remains of an ancient promontory fort called McArt's Fort. Cavehill was also historically called 'Ben Madigan' (from Irish: Beann Mhadagáin, "Madagán’s peak"), after a king of Ulster called Madagán.[1]

It forms part of the Belfast Hills and marks the southeastern edge of the Antrim Plateau. All of Belfast can be seen from its peak, as can the Isle of Man and Scotland on clear days. Like Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, it lies just a few miles from the centre of a major city.

Cave Hill is thought to be the inspiration for Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels. Swift imagined that Cave Hill resembled the shape of a sleeping giant safeguarding the city.[3]

  1. ^ a b Northern Ireland Place-Names Project. "Cave Hill".
  2. ^ BBC News website
  3. ^ "Belfast Hills". Discover Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Tourist Board. Retrieved 18 May 2007.

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