Curlethney Hill

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Curlethney Hill is a landform in Aberdeenshire, Scotland within the Mounth Range of the Grampian Mountains. (Grid Reference NO 918 839) [1] The peak elevation of this mountain is 246 metres above mean sea level. This landform lies slightly southwest of the village of Netherley. The northwest boundary of the moorland atop Curlethney Hill is formed by the southwestern flanks of Craggie Cat, a nearby peak.

Landform A natural feature of the solid surface of the Earth or other planetary body

A landform is a natural feature of the solid surface of the Earth or other planetary body. Landforms together make up a given terrain, and their arrangement in the landscape is known as topography. Typical landforms include hills, mountains, plateaus, canyons, and valleys, as well as shoreline features such as bays, peninsulas, and seas, including submerged features such as mid-ocean ridges, volcanoes, and the great ocean basins.

Aberdeenshire Council area of Scotland

Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland.

Scotland Country in Europe, part of the United Kingdom

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Sharing a border with England to the southeast, Scotland is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, by the North Sea to the northeast and by the Irish Sea to the south. In addition to the mainland, situated on the northern third of the island of Great Britain, Scotland has over 790 islands, including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides.

Contents

Geology and hydrology

This mountain is covered virtually entirely with moorland. Curlethney Hill is situated approximately 0.9 kilometers to the east of Meikle Carewe Hill; surface runoff and drainage from the northern and eastern slopes of Curlethney Hill flows north to Crynoch Burn, at reaches above the Red Moss. Waters within the Red Moss are decidedly acidic, with measured summer pH values in the range of 5.67. [2] These low pH levels may be caused in part by the peat drainage from the moorland on Meikle Carewe Hill and Curlethney Hill. The southwest flanks of Curlethney Hill drain to Cowton Burn, a tributary of the Cowie Water.

Meikle Carewe Hill

Meikle Carewe Hill is a landform in Aberdeenshire, Scotland within the Mounth Range of the Grampian Mountains. The peak elevation of this mountain is 266 metres above mean sea level. Meikle Carewe is a prominent landform visible from a number of coastal hills such as Kempstone Hill and Megray Hill; it also forms a major backdrop to the community of Netherley.

Surface runoff The flow of excess stormwater, meltwater, or water from other sources over the Earths surface

Surface runoff is the flow of water that occurs when excess stormwater, meltwater, or other sources flows over the Earth's surface. This might occur because soil is saturated to full capacity, because rain arrives more quickly than soil can absorb it, or because impervious areas send their runoff to surrounding soil that cannot absorb all of it. Surface runoff is a major component of the water cycle. It is the primary agent in soil erosion by water.

Red Moss is a wetland bog in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, located at the northwestern edge of the village of Netherley. The moss is designated a national Site of Special Scientific Interest by Scottish Natural Heritage, due to its biodiversity and undisturbed character. The elevation of Red Moss is 113 metres above mean sea level. The upland areas above Red Moss are characterised as agricultural and woodland parcels which are generally attractive and separated by ancient drystone walls or hedgerows.

Wind farm proposal

Renewable Energy Resources has an application pending before the Aberdeenshire Council to create a windfarm for electrical power generation using Curlethney Hill, Meikle Carewe Hill and nearby high ground to install 12 wind turbines, four of which are proposed for Curlethney Hill itself, and two others to be in the saddle areas on either side of Curlethney Hill. Each turbine would reach a height of 70 metres above grade level, and the entire complex could generate enough power to supply the equivalent of 5000 homes. Environmental concerns over the proposal include noise pollution, visual impact [3] and ecological disturbance.

Electric power Rate per unit time electrical energy is transferred by an electric circuit

Electric power is the rate, per unit time, at which electrical energy is transferred by an electric circuit. The SI unit of power is the watt, one joule per second.

Noise pollution excessive, displeasing human, animal, or machine-created environmental noise

Noise pollution, also known as environmental noise or sound pollution, is the propagation of noise with harmful impact on the activity of human or animal life. The source of outdoor noise worldwide is mainly caused by machines, transport and propagation systems. Poor urban planning may give rise to noise pollution, side-by-side industrial and residential buildings can result in noise pollution in the residential areas. Some of the main sources of noise in residential areas include loud music, transportation noise, lawn care maintenance, nearby construction, or young people yelling. Noise pollution associated with household electricity generators is an emerging environmental degradation in many developing nations. The average noise level of 97.60 dB obtained exceeded the WHO value of 50 dB allowed for residential areas. Research suggests that noise pollution is the highest in low-income and racial minority neighborhoods. Documented problems associated with urban environment noise go back as far as ancient Rome.

See also

Related Research Articles

Ythan Estuary

The Ythan Estuary is the tidal component of the Ythan River, emptying into the North Sea 19 kilometres (12 mi) north of Aberdeen, Scotland. The estuary’s tidal action extends a 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) inland and has characteristic widths of between 250 metres (820 ft) and 780 metres (2,560 ft). Besides the tidal channel there are interfaces to the upland dunes including mudflats, sand beaches and shingle flats. Reaches of salt marsh occur, but they are primarily near the Waterside Bridge and the mouth of the Tarty Burn, a small tributary river. Based upon the habitat of the moorland bordering the east of the Ythan River near the mouth, this estuary is the most significant coastal moorland in the northern United Kingdom.

The Portlethen Moss is an acidic bog nature reserve located to the west of the town of Portlethen, Aberdeenshire in Scotland. Like other mosses, this wetland area supports a variety of plant and animal species, even though it has been subject to certain development and agricultural degradation pressures. For example, the Great Crested Newt was found here prior to the expansion of the town of Portlethen. Many acid loving vegetative species occur in Portlethen Moss, and the habitat is monitored by the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

Ury House

Ury House is a large ruined mansion in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, built in the Elizabethan style in 1885 by Sir Alexander Baird, 1st Baronet. It is situated on the north-east coast about 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Stonehaven in the former county of Kincardineshire.

Beinn a Chaorainn (Cairngorms) mountain in the United Kingdom

Beinn a' Chaorainn is a Scottish mountain situated in the heart of the Cairngorms range. It is quite a remote hill, being located roughly 19 kilometres south east of Aviemore and 14 kilometres north west of Braemar. The mountain stands on the border of the Moray and Aberdeenshire council areas. The hill's name used to be spelt as Beinn a' Chaoruinn, but the spelling of the word caorunn was altered to caorann by the Gaelic Orthographic Convention's attempts to standardise spelling.

Netherley, Aberdeenshire village in the United Kingdom

Netherley, Scotland is a village in Aberdeenshire, situated approximately five miles northwest of Stonehaven. Netherley is located in the Mounth area of the Grampian Highlands. At the eastern edge of Netherley is a significant wetland bog known as Red Moss. To the southwest of Netherley lie Meikle Carewe Hill and Curlethney Hill. At the south edge of Netherley is the peak of Craggie Cat.

Crynoch Burn stream in Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Crynoch Burn is a stream in Aberdeenshire that is tributary to the River Dee. This stream rises somewhat above Netherley and flows near Netherley House; and thence into the Red Moss, a significant natural bog habitat; thence near the historic Lairhillock Inn; and finally by the village of Maryculter and through Oldman Wood before discharge to the Dee. Headwaters areas include the northern and western slopes of Meikle Carewe Hill and the northern slopes of Curlethney Hill.

Burn of Monboys is a stream that rises in the Mounth, or eastern range of the Grampian Mountains, northwest of Stonehaven and south of Netherley, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Monboys Burn is a tributary to the Cowie Water.

Kempstone Hill is a landform in Aberdeenshire, Scotland within the Mounth Range of the Grampian Mountains. The peak elevation of this mountain is 132 metres above mean sea level. This hill has been posited by Gabriel Jacques Surenne, Archibald Watt and C.Michael Hogan as the location for the noted Battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the indigenous Caledonians. The major Roman Camp of Raedykes is situated about three kilometres to the west. From Kempstone Hill there are fine views to the North Sea facing east and slightly to the north of Muchalls Castle. There is a UK trigpoint installation on Kempstone Hill.

Megray Hill is a low-lying coastal mountainous landform in Aberdeenshire, Scotland within the Mounth Range of the Grampian Mountains. The peak elevation of this mountain is 120 metres above mean sea level. This hill has been posited as a likely location for the noted Battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the indigenous Caledonians. The major Roman Camp of Raedykes is situated about three kilometres to the west. From Megray Hill there are expansive views to the North Sea facing east. The summit affords scenic vies of the historic harbour of Stonehaven.

Saddle Hill (Aberdeenshire)

Saddle Hill is a low lying mountain in eastern Aberdeenshire, Scotland within the Mounth Range of the Grampian Mountains. Its peak is 241 metres (791 ft) above mean sea level. This hill is immediately north of the Roman camp of Raedykes. From Saddle Hill there are expansive views to the North Sea facing east and the valley of the Burn of Monboys to the east and southeast.

Craggie Cat is a hill landform in the Mounth of the Grampian Mountains at the southern edge of Netherley, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The peak elevation of Craggie Cat is 198 metres according to the Ordnance Survey. This hill's southwestern flanks form the northwest boundary of the moorland of Curlethney Hill.

Durris Forest

Durris Forest is a chiefly coniferous forest south of the River Dee approximately three kilometres west of Netherley in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The A957 road forms the southwest boundary of Durris Forest, separating it from Fetteresso Forest. The Durris Forest includes several smaller named woodlands. The ancient route of Elsick Mounth crosses the Grampian Mounth within the Durris Forest. Notable natural features in the vicinity include Red Moss and Meikle Carewe Hill. Notable historic features in this area include Raedykes Roman Camp, Muchalls Castle and Maryculter House.

Cookney Church

Cookney Parish Church, now business premises within a converted listed building, was a Christian place of worship in the village of Cookney, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

The Hill of Muchalls is a coastal mountainous landform situated approximately 1.4 kilometres west of the Bridge of Muchalls in Aberdeenshire, Scotland within the Mounth Range of the Grampian Mountains. The peak elevation of this mountain is 120 metres above mean sea level. From Megray Hill there are expansive views to the North Sea facing east. The summit affords scenic vies of the historic harbour of Stonehaven.

Elsick Mounth

The Elsick Mounth is an ancient trackway crossing the Grampian Mountains in the vicinity of Netherley, Scotland. This trackway was one of the few means of traversing the Grampian Mounth area in prehistoric and medieval times. The highest pass of the route is attained within the Durris Forest. Notable historical structures in the vicinity are Maryculter House, Lairhillock Inn and Muchalls Castle. Most of the lands through which the Elsick Mounth passes are within the Durris Forest; while this forest would have been a mixed deciduous forest in ancient times, currently it is managed as a coniferous monoculture with extensive amounts of clearfelling and subsequent replanting.

Harcuvar Mountains

The Harcuvar Mountains are a narrow mountain range in western-central Arizona, USA. The range lies just east of the north-south Colorado River, and south of the east-west, west-flowing Bill Williams River, from Alamo Lake.

Buckskin Mountains (Arizona)

The Buckskin Mountains, of Arizona, are a mountain range in west-central Arizona, USA. The range lies just east of the north-south Colorado River, and borders south of the east-west, west-flowing Bill Williams River.

References

  1. United Kingdom Ordnance Survey Map Landranger 45, Stonehaven and Banchory, 1:50,000 scale, 2004
  2. Hogan, C. Michael, History of Muchalls Castle, Area Environment section (2005)
  3. Meikle Carewe Windfarm Action Group website Archived 2007-12-12 at the Wayback Machine .

Coordinates: 57°01′00″N2°16′00″W / 57.0167°N 2.2666°W / 57.0167; -2.2666

Geographic coordinate system Coordinate system

A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position and two or three of the numbers represent a horizontal position; alternatively, a geographic position may be expressed in a combined three-dimensional Cartesian vector. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation. To specify a location on a plane requires a map projection.