Dartmoor & Exmoor
Louden Hill
315M
1033FT
About Louden Hill
Sitting just west of the dramatic granite stacks of Rough Tor, this gentle moorland swell offers an easier, grassier ascent than its rugged neighbours. The summit provides a clear, expansive perspective over the Stannon Works and the dark silhouette of Brown Willy, the highest point in the county.
Key Statistics
Rank
107th Highest in Region
Parent Range
England
Prominence
?
32m
Nearest Town
Camelford
Geology
You are walking on solid granite from the Bodmin Intrusion. This rock formed when molten stone cooled deep underground to create the hill’s sturdy foundation.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SX137803
Latitude
50.5926°N
Longitude
4.6335°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely stems from the Cornish word 'lowen', meaning joyful or happy, though some landscape historians suggest a link to 'loden', referring to the marshy ground and pools found around its base.
- •The hill features the Louden Long Cairn, a Neolithic funerary monument measuring roughly 28 metres in length, indicating the area's spiritual importance several millennia ago.
- •Extensive evidence of an ancient farming community is visible on the slopes, with prehistoric hut circles and early field systems surviving as low stony banks amongst the grass.
- •It is often overlooked by walkers heading straight for the famous tors nearby, but its position makes it the perfect spot to view the entire ridge from Rough Tor to Brown Willy in a single profile.
- •Climbing this hill provides the distinct satisfaction of enjoying the best views of the spectacular Rough Tor without having to navigate the crowds often found huddled around its summit cairn.