 The varied landscapes of the Wye Valley can be explained by underlying rocks and structures, and how ice and then the river and tributary streams have acted upon them through time.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.