thumb|330px|Berwick Law from the east

North Berwick Law, sometimes abbreviated to Berwick Law, is a conical hill which rises conspicuously from the surrounding landscape (this is the definition of the Lowland Scots word "law"). It overlooks the East Lothian town of North Berwick, Scotland, and stands at 613 ft (187 m) above sea level.

It is considerably steeper (1:1 gradient) on its north side.

Geology

Geologically, the law is a volcanic plug of hard phonolitic trachyte rock of Carboniferous (Dinantian) age. It has survived the scraping glaciers of the ice age. It is a crag and tail with a prominent tail extending eastwards.

History

The summit bears remnants of an Iron Age hill fort, and the ruins of later military buildings that were once used by lookouts in both the Napoleonic Wars, and in World War II.

Since 1709 the law has been topped with a whale's jawbone. The bone was replaced three times until being removed, due to safety concerns, in 2005. The funding for the replica was donated by an anonymous friend of North Berwick. The hill top, in clear weather, offers views of the Firth of Forth and of the nearby Bass Rock island.

See also

  • Breast shaped hills
  • List of inselbergs
  • List of mountains in Scotland

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File:North Berwick Law - April 2012.JPG|North Berwick Law, North Berwick, East Lothian

File:Berwick Law, North Berwick.JPG|Berwick Law, seen from the town

Image:Bb-berwicklaw.jpg|The whale's jawbone as it sat on top of North Berwick Law

File:Replica Whale's Jawbone on North Berwick Law.JPG|The replica of the original jawbone

File:Sign on top of North Berwick Law - Whale Jaw Bone Replica.JPG|An anonymous friend of the town donated the replica jawbone

File:Viewpoint indicator.jpg|Viewpoint indicator on North Berwick Law, with the Bass Rock in the background

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References

  • Computer-generated virtual panoramas North Berwick Law
  • Stuart McHardy, The Goddess in the Landscape of Scotland