Cavehill

About this place

Cave Hill — or Cavehill — 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', a tall cliff fancifully said to resemble the profile of the famous emperor of that name. At its highest point 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. Cave Hill, which is within Cave Hill Country Park, 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.

Visitor Information

Elevation

368 m

Getting There & Parking

Cavehill is located in County Antrim, roughly 7 km (5 min drive) from Belfast and 187 km (2h 45m) from Dublin. The nearest public car park is 752 m away. Nearby highlights within a short drive include McArt's Fort (0.2 km away).