Topic 1.14

UK Physical Landscapes Overview

Uplands, lowlands, rock types and glaciation in the UK

What You Need to Know
  • Distribution of upland and lowland areas in the UK
  • The three main rock types and how they affect landscape
  • How glaciation shaped UK landscapes (erosion and deposition features)
  • Weathering processes and their impacts
  • How human activity has modified UK landscapes
Interactive UK Landscape Map
Click on regions to explore upland and lowland characteristics
Tees-Exe Line
Upland (>200m)
Lowland (<200m)
Tees-Exe Line

Click on a region to see details

The Tees-Exe Line

An imaginary line from the River Tees (NE England) to the River Exe (SW England) divides the UK:

  • North/West: Upland (hard, old rocks 400-600M years)
  • South/East: Lowland (soft, young rocks 50-200M years)
Rock Type Classifier
Classify each rock as Igneous, Sedimentary, or Metamorphic

Granite

Scotland, Cornwall

Chalk

South Downs, Chilterns

Slate

Lake District, Wales

Limestone

Pennines, Peak District

Basalt

Giant's Causeway

Clay

East Anglia

Glaciation Features Explorer
Last Ice Age: 110,000 - 10,000 years ago. Ice covered UK north of Thames/Bristol at maximum extent.

Erosion Features

Deposition Features

Click on a feature to learn more

Current Impact of Glaciation

  • Many UK lakes are glacially-formed (Lake Windermere, Loch Ness)
  • U-shaped valleys are ideal sites for reservoirs (steep sides for dams)
  • Upland landscapes are more rugged due to glacial erosion
Weathering Processes
How rocks are broken down in place without being transported

Process Steps:

  1. 1Water enters cracks in rock
  2. 2Temperature drops below 0°C
  3. 3Water freezes and expands by 9%
  4. 4Expansion widens crack
  5. 5Repeated cycles shatter rock
  6. 6Creates scree slopes (loose fragments)

Where it occurs:

Common in uplands with frequent freeze-thaw cycles

UK Example:

Scree slopes in Lake District

Human Activity Impacts on UK Landscapes

Uplands

  • Sheep grazing reduces vegetation and increases erosion
  • Moorland management through controlled burning
  • Historic stone walls mark field boundaries

Lowlands

  • Intensive arable farming causes hedgerow removal
  • Soil erosion from ploughing
  • Drainage schemes reclaimed fenland from marshes
Key Terms

Upland

Land over 200m with steep slopes, formed of hard resistant rocks

Lowland

Land under 200m with gentle slopes, formed of softer sedimentary rocks

Relief

The shape and height of the land surface

Glaciation

The process of landscape formation by glaciers and ice sheets

Weathering

The breakdown of rock in place (not involving transport)

Mass Movement

Downhill movement of material under gravity (soil creep, landslides)

Topic 1.14 Quiz1/6

The Tees-Exe line divides the UK into which two areas?

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