 Close to Hereford, the geology of the area around the village of Woolhope is largely made up of Silurian limestones, shales and sandstones.To the south of this, the Herefordshire lowlands are largely underlain by red mudstones and sandstones, producing a redder soil.These rocks are softer than the limestones elsewhere, so the river created more meanders, a wider floodplain, and a gentler and more rolling landscape.