Black Mountain (Belfast)

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Black Mountain (Irish: Cnoc an tSléibhe Dhuibh) is a large hill which overlooks the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The mountain is one of the most prominent features of the city, towering above most of West Belfast. It reaches a height of 1,275ft and is composed of limestone. There have been flint finds in the area, which also contains raths, deserted farms and overgrown paths joining the fields and homesteads scattered over the mountain.^[1] On a clear day there are views of Strangford Lough, the Mournes and the Sperrins, as well as Scotland and Donegal.^[2]

There is a well known field located on the Black Mountain, this is called the 'Hatchet field', it is so called because it is in the shape of an old fashioned hatchet. Also located on top of the mountain is a police barracks belonging to the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Black Mountain transmitting station which is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility. One way to proceed up the mountain is by the 'Mountain Lonely,' a path leading up the mountain and across the 'Hatchet Field'. This path is found adjacent Dermot Hill, a housing estate in West Belfast and is popular with walkers and tourists.

For many years people have lobbied for the preservation of the Belfast Hills hoping to bring to an end many years of quarrying which has been going on there.^[3]