Misk Hills

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'The view across the Misks from Leivers Hill'

The Misk Hills consist of a gently undulating sandstone plateau between Hucknall and Annesley in the county of Nottinghamshire in the North East Midlands of England. They offer views Southwards across the town of Hucknall, and the City of Nottingham. They are locally considered to be the first hills in the Pennine Chain, and rise to a high point of 170 metres above sea level from the flat plains to the east. The hills are the source of three minor watercourses, the Gilt Brook, the Whyburn (Hucknall's 'Town brook') and Farleys Brook. They separate the Leen Valley from the Erewash Valley.

1 Literary Links
2 Origins of the Name
3 Land Use
4 Links

[edit] Literary Links

The view over Hucknall from the easternmost height in the range, Diadem Hill, provided the setting for 'The Dream' a poem by Lord Byron, the Romantic English Poet who lived locally in Newstead Abbey. The Misk Hills were also mentioned by local author D. H. Lawrence, in his autobiographical novel, Sons and Lovers, and Nottingham-born writer Alan Sillitoe wrote a poem entitled 'The View from Misk Hill.'

[edit] Origins of the Name

The etymology of the name Misk is unknown. Speculations are that the name relates to an Old English word for the moon, Micca. A range of sand hills in Stevenston, Ayrshire, Scotland, also share the name of Misk.

[edit] Land Use

A microlight landing strip once operated in the hills. Today the hills are used for a mixture of dairy and arable farming as well as commercial forestry, and are a popular place for walking, horse riding and cycling. Skylarks, fallow deer and hares inhabit the area. The hills are intersected by the M1 motorway close to junction 27. The hills are central to Ashfield and Gedling District Council's 'Hidden Valleys' area, designed to promote tourism in the former coal mining district of Nottinghamshire. 'Annesley Castle,' a Motte and Bailey fortification exists at the foot of Diadem Hill and can be seen from the A611 Annesley Bypass as it intersects the Misks.