▁at ▁its ▁centre , ▁and ▁ruled ▁by ▁the ▁noble ▁family ▁of ▁Gro an ▁since ▁time ▁imm em orial . ▁The ▁ear ld om ▁der ives ▁its ▁name ▁from ▁G orm eng h ast ▁Mountain , ▁and ▁is ▁isolated ▁from ▁the ▁outside ▁world ▁by ▁in h osp itable ▁regions ▁on ▁each ▁side ▁of ▁it . ▁To ▁the ▁North ▁are ▁mar sh y ▁was tel ands , ▁to ▁the ▁South ▁are ▁salt ▁grey ▁mar sh es ▁( and ▁pres umably ▁then ▁the ▁ocean ), ▁to ▁the ▁East ▁are ▁quick s ands ▁and ▁the ▁tid eless ▁sea , ▁and ▁to ▁the ▁West ▁are ▁kn uck les ▁of ▁end less ▁rock . ▁▁ ▁To ▁the ▁West ▁also ▁lies ▁the ▁cla w - like ▁G orm eng h ast ▁Mountain , ▁with ▁the ▁Tw isted ▁Wood s ▁and ▁G orm eng h ast ▁river ▁at ▁its ▁foot . ▁East ▁of ▁them ▁are ▁esc arp ments ▁described ▁as ▁" an ▁irregular ▁table land ▁of ▁green y - black ▁rock , ▁broken ▁and ▁scar red ▁and ▁empty ", ▁then ▁des olate ▁sw amp ▁before ▁the ▁vic inity ▁of ▁the ▁castle ▁is ▁reached . ▁G orm eng h ast ▁Mountain ▁is ▁said ▁to ▁be ▁so ▁large ▁that ▁from ▁the ▁castle ▁it ▁looks ▁at ▁most ▁a ▁few ▁miles ▁distant , ▁whereas ▁in ▁fact ▁it ▁is ▁a ▁day ' s ▁ride ▁away ▁on ▁horse back . ▁However , ▁this ▁is ▁contrad icted ▁by ▁events ▁within ▁the ▁story , ▁when ▁various ▁characters ▁are ▁able ▁to ▁travel ▁on ▁foot ▁to ▁the ▁castle ▁and ▁back ▁within