an earlier ice age left extensive spreads of till across the central and southern areas. Sections of the main scarp, notably at Saxby All Saints and between Nettleton and Walesby have been subject to landslip. Geography The Wolds comprise a series of low hills incised by characteristic dry open valleys. The Lincolnshire Wolds can be divided into four distinct areas: the main area of chalk hills in the north, the north west scarp, an area of ridges and valleys in the south west, the claylands in the south east. The Red Hill nature reserve near the village of Goulceby is notable for the unusual red colour of its soil and underlying chalk. Wolds Top is the highest point in the whole of Lincolnshire and is marked by a trig point just north of the village of Normanby le Wold, at approximately 551 feet (168 metres) above sea level (). Other hills include: Castcliffe Hill - - Gaumer Hill - - Meagram Top - - Warden Hill - - Tetford Hill - - Hoe Hill - - The Wolds provide views across the flat Fens and salt marshes of Lindsey and Holland: it is possible, from various points on the Wolds, to see all of the larger structures in the north and east of the county: the Belmont mast, Boston Stump, Grimsby Dock Tower, the Humber Bridge, Lincoln Cathedral, St James' Church in Louth (known locally as the 'Cathedral of the Wolds', though it holds only parish church status), the radar station near Normanby, Tattershall Castle and the wind turbines on the coast near Mablethorpe. Waterways Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty The Lincolnshire Wolds were designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1973, and are managed as such by the Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service. The Wolds AONB covers 560 square kilometres, while the Countryside Service recognises a wider Lincolnshire Wolds Character/Natural Area which incorporates the AONB and the neighbouring areas of the (geographical) Wolds to the north and south. The Wolds AONB cuts across the council boundaries of Lincolnshire County Council, East Lindsey District Council, West Lindsey District Council and North East Lincolnshire Council. The boundaries of the AONB are marked by tourist signs incorporating stylized hills and trees, placed on roads leading into the area. People and places The Wolds are sparsely populated and have a rural character. They are 'ringed' by several small market towns that lie