The hills frame the Kernmünsterland, lying southeast of its centre, falling gently towards the inside of the horseshoe, but dropping sharply to the surrounding plain on the outside.

From the centre of a basin near Beckum, which is open towards the west, the terrain ascends, especially to the south and east, but also to the north, initially gradually up to the highest elevations of the range.

[3][4] The main mineral deposit is limestone, which is quarried in Beckum and Ennigerloh in large quantities and used by the cement industry in the area.

South of Beckum and roughly southeast of the Hermannsberg hill is the cultural monument of Germanenlager, site of a Germanic camp.

Amongst the high points on the Beckum Hills are (in order of height in metres (m) above sea level (NN)[1]: