Blackdown Hills

Blackdown Hills, range of hills in Somerset and Devon, south-western England. The range runs eastwards from Cullompton, west Devon, to Chard, south-western Somerset, covering an area of around 360 sq km (139 sq mi). The highest point is Staple Hill (315 m/1,035 ft). Three rivers—the Otter, Culm, and Yarty—drain the region. The valleys are typified by grassland lined with hedgerows and gently undulating pastoral meadows, while the upper slopes are covered with dense woodland. The region is dotted with small villages and hamlets, and is home to around 13,500 people (2004 estimate); the largest settlement is Hemyock. Evidence of the early occupation of the area includes Bronze Age burial mounds at Robin Hood's Butts, and Iron Age hill forts at Dumpdon Hill, Hembury, and Knapp Hill. The Blackdown Hills were designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1991.