What is called the backbone of england
What is called the backbone of england
Pennines
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Pennines, major upland mass forming a relief “backbone,” or “spine,” in the north of England, extending southward from Northumberland into Derbyshire. The uplands have a short, steep western slope and dip gently eastward. They are surrounded on the east, west, and south by the Vale of York, the Lancashire and Cheshire plains, and the valley of the River Trent, respectively. On the north, the Tyne Gap and Eden Valley separate the Pennines from the Cheviots and the Lake District mountains.
The Pennine system is often wrongly called a chain, but it is hardly even a range. Its hills are broken up into numerous short ranges by valleys (often called dales) cut back into them in every direction. The Pennines, in fact, form a north and south watershed that determines the course of all the larger rivers in northern England. The Pennines are divided into two main sections by a gap formed by the Rivers Aire (flowing east) and Ribble (flowing west). The northern section of the Pennines is broader and generally higher than the southern. The highest points in the northern section are Cross Fell (2,930 feet [893 m]), Whernside (2,419 feet [737 m]), Ingleborough (2,373 feet [723 m]), and Pen-y-Ghent (2,273 feet [693 m]). In the southern section, heights of more than 2,000 feet (600 m) are rare, apart from Kinder Scout (2,088 feet [636 m]), part of the Peak District of Derbyshire.
The geological structure of the Pennines consists of carboniferous limestone and Millstone Grit with some local shales. On the drier areas, heather moor predominates, while the wet, peaty areas are covered mostly with cotton grass. The summits of the hills are rounded or nearly flat, but geological structures and glacial action have helped to produce fine scenery in the dales. Water action has developed remarkable underground caverns and watercourses in the limestone of the Pennines. Among these caverns and chasms are Ingleborough Cave near Clapham, Gaping Gill (more than 350 feet [107 m] deep), and Rowten Pot (365 feet [111 m]). The stream draining Malham Tarn (brook) disappears below ground and reappears at the foot of the cliffs at Malham Cove. A notable underground watercourse in Derbyshire is the River Wye, which disappears into Plunge Hole and then traverses Poole’s Hole, near Buxton. There are few lakes in the Pennines, but reservoirs in Millstone Grit areas supply the manufacturing regions of West Yorkshire and Lancashire with water.
The economy of the Pennines is based mainly on sheep farming and the quarrying of limestone. The valleys contain numerous small market towns, among them Hawes, Muker, and Grassington. Tourism has become an important element in the economy, helped by the designation of the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, and Northumberland national parks. The Pennine Way, a footpath running along the hills of the Pennines from end to end for 250 miles (400 km), was opened in 1965.
There are numerous prehistoric remains, such as the great circle of stones at Arbor Low Hill. Hadrian’s Wall, an ancient Roman defensive line against the peoples of what was, in large part, to become Scotland, extends east-west along the northern edge of the Pennines.
What is called the backbone of england
Project Britain
British Life and Culture
by Mandy Barrow
Please note: We have mainly written about England, as that is the country within the UK where our students live. We would be very happy for schools and visitors to send us information we can add to our website on Wales and Scotland.
Much of England is flat or low-lying especially in southern England. Mountains are found in the north.
The Cheviot Hills are a range of low mountains forming a border between England and Scotland. They extend 35 miles ( 56 km) is a north-eastern to south-western direction. The hills are part of the Northumberland National Park.
The Cheviot Hills
The Pennines
Cumbrian Mountains
The highest point in England, Scafell Pike, 3,205 ft. (978m) is part of the Cumbrian Mountains.
Lake District
The Peak District
Yorkshire Dales
The wide expanse of Salisbury Plain occupies most of the central part of southern England. It covers an area of approximately 300 square miles ( 775 sq km) and is drained to the south by the River Avon. Sailsbury plain is a barren chalk plateau without trees and much of it is used as a pasture for sheep.
Many people travel to see Stonehenge, a prehistoric monument located on Salisbury Plain.
Stonehenge
The Downs are a series of rolling chalk hills found in southern England.
The Seven Sisters are chalk cliffs, part of the coastline of the south-eastern tip of England.
Find out more.
Seven Sisters (chalk cliffs)
Dartmoor moorland area is famous for the wild Dartmoor ponies that live there.
Find out more.
Dartmoor
The longest and best known river in England is the Thames which flows through London. It is 346km long.
River Thames in London
(The River Severn is the longest in total, but its source is in the mountains of Wales, and the parts which run through England are shorter than the Thames).
Other significant rivers include the Ouse, Severn, Trent, Tweed and Wye.
Mandy is the creator of the Woodlands Resources section of the Woodlands Junior website.В
The two websitesВ projectbritain.comВ andВ primaryhomeworkhelp.co.ukВ are the new homes for the Woodlands Resources.
Mandy left Woodlands in 2003 to work in Kent schools as an ICT Consultant.
She now teaches computers atВ The Granville SchoolВ andВ St. John’s Primary SchoolВ in SevenoaksВ Kent.
What mountains are called the backbone of England?
What mountains are called the backbone of England?
P ennines, major upland mass forming a relief “backbone,” or “spine,” in the north of England, extending southward from Northumberland into Derbyshire. The uplands have a short, steep western slope and dip gently eastward.
Why are the Pennines called the backbone of England?
Often said to be the “backbone of England”, they form an unbroken range stretching from the Peak District in the Midlands, through the Yorkshire Dales, parts of Greater Manchester, the West Pennine Moors of Lancashire and Cumbrian Fells to the Cheviot Hills on the Scottish border.
What is the name of the mountain range in England?
the Pennines
Some well-known mountain ranges in the four countries that make up the UK include: the Cairngorms in Scotland. the Pennines in England.
Where is the Pennines in England?
The Pennines (/ˈpɛnaɪnz/), also known as the Pennine Chain or Pennine Hills, are a more-or-less continuous range of hills and mountains running between three regions of Northern England: North West England on the west, and North East England and Yorkshire and the Humber on the east.
What is the largest country in the United Kingdom?
England
Just like Wales and Scotland, England is commonly referred to as a country but it is not a sovereign state. It is the largest country within the United Kingdom both by landmass and population, has taken a pivitol role in the creation of the UK, and its capital London also happens to be the capital of the UK.
How high is cross fell?
893 m
Cross Fell/Elevation
How tall is Pennines?
What are English mountains called?
British hills over 150 m are called Marilyns’. Mountains provide homes to at least one tenth of the world’s population.
Where are the highest mountain ranges in England?
the ridge of the Pennines, from the Peak District in the south, through the Yorkshire Dales, to Cheviot on the Scottish border. Wales and Scotland have higher peaks and more mountainous areas than England. The only mountains in England are the Pennines, known as the “ Backbone of England”. How to: Fix aging skin (do this daily).
Which is the backbone of the United Kingdom?
The Pennines, located in northern England, is a mountain range that is often referred to as the ”backbone of the United Kingdom.” Cross Fell is the… See full answer below. Become a Study.com member to unlock this answer!
Are there more mountains in Wales or Scotland?
Wales and Scotland have higher peaks and more mountainous areas than England. The only mountains in England are the Pennines, known as the “ Backbone of England”. How to: Fix aging skin (do this daily). Beverly Hills surgeon reveals at home fix (no creams needed). For illustrative purposes only. You dismissed this ad.
The Pennine hills are called the Backbone of England. They run from the Midlands all the way to the Scottish border. Why are the pennines called the backbone of England? Because they run down the centre of England like a backbone. What mountain range forma the backbone of the united kingdom?
The Lowlands and Highlands
Practically the whole south and most of the east of the island of Great Britain are occupied by the lowlands. However, one should not think that there are no hills and mountains there at all. When the geographers use the word «lowland» they just mean that the land is lowlying, but it does not mean that the place is flat. In many parts of Lowland Britain there are groups of rather high hills called the downs.
This term is rather misleading for foreigners who tend to think that it refers to the low-lying places. As a matter of fact, the noun «down» used to mean «a hill» in the language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons (the Old English). Now the word refers to a rather special kind of hill — consisting ofxhalk and covered with grass. Where the downs meet the sea, they break off in cliffs. The white chalky cliffs near Dover which the people can see while crossing the English Channel, is the sort of symbol of England. Because of them, the Romans used to call the country Albion (from the word albus which means «white»). There are two great ridges of downs there, which are facing each other: the South Downs and the North Downs. They meet on Salisbury Plain, which isn’t really a plain, but a grass-covered chalky upland. For more than a century it has been the great training grounds for the British Army. Some of the earliest airfields were also built on the Plain, and near its centre, at Boscombe Down, there is the airfield where many new planes are still ested out. These green ridges, usually four or five hundred feet high, were free of shrub and wood even in prehistoric times, and the people used them as highways — or ridgeways, as they are often called.
In the central part of Lowland Britain rise two groups of hills called the Cotswolds and the Chilterns. The Chilterns begin near Oxford (the oldest university town) and stretch in the direction of Cambridge (the other old university town). The Cotswolds are known for the fine lime-stone of which most towns and villages of southeast are built. The Cotswolds also gave the name to the local sheep, which are so big that are jokingly called «Cotswold lions». The western part of Lowland Britain contains another famous group of hills — the Mendips, also made largely of limestone. It is a very picturesque, romantic place with many caves and gorges.
As different as it can be is the scenery of the eastern section of the Lowland Britain, which is usually called East Anglia. It is the place where the flat fields lie below sea level. The region is also called «Little Holland» (or «The Parts of Holland») because it resembles this European country where the land lies so low that it has to be protected from the sea by dykes. The scenery of East Anglia is peculiar — the great flat swamps with occasional isles of high places that rise above the level of the surrounding swamp. The largest of these «isles» is called the Isle of Ely, famous for the medieval cathedral and the monastery. Such kind of scenery is called the fens. In the 17th century a big portion of the fens was drained and the places were turned into pasture and farmland.
Where the fens meet the sea, there are about thirty shallow inland lakes called the Broads. The scientists say that the Broads appeared as a result of human activity: the people of the early Middle Ages cut the peat they used as fuel. They cut out millions of cubic feet of the stuff, and then, about the 18th century, the land began to sink and the places of former diggings were filled with water. Nowadays the Broads are often called the great «playgrounds of Southern England». Lots of people come there to enjoy boating. Every summer thousands of enthusiasts navigate up and down the shallow channels connecting the Broads, study the abundant bird life through binoculars (this popular hobby is called bird-watching), and sail down to the open sea.
Answer the following questions:
1. What part of the island of Great Britain is called Lowland Britain?
2. What is the exact meaning of the word «lowland»? Is it necessary for a place to be absolutely flat, so that we may call it a «lowland»?
3. What term is used to refer to the chains of hills in southeastern England? What is the etymology of this term? Is it used to refer to any hill or a hill of some special type?
4. What is the difference between a down and a cliff? Why did the cliffs near Dover become a symbol of England? Explain the etymology of the name which the Romans gave to the island?
5. In what directions do the South and North Downs stretch out? How have these ridges of hills been used since the people began to live there? What is the name of the place where they meet? How has this place been used for more than two hundred years?
6. What hills are situated in the central and western parts of England? Do they look exactly like those in the southeast? What are these hills famous for? What explains their being so picturesque?
7. What sort of scenery is typical for the eastern part of Lowland Britain? What term is used to refer to it? What is the name of this region? Are there any hills there? What term do the people use there to refer to the elevated places of land? In what way are they different from hills?
8. What is the name of the lakes situated in the places where the fens meet the sea? When and how did they appear? Why is this place so popular with holidaymakers? What do they do there?
The north and the west of the island of Great Britain are occupied by the highlands, here and there split by valleys. There are even two big plains there: the Lancashire Plain and Anglesey.
England’s farthest west (the counties of Devon and Cornwall) has a reputation in Britain for «foreignness»: in the past, the Cornish people had even their own language which is now being revived, they still keep up some customs that go back to ancient times. Actually, neither Romans, nor Saxons could really settle in these places. It is the land where King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table were supposed to live. The historians say that this legendary king was the leader of the Cornish people who fought so bravely against the Anglo-Saxon invaders. This region is often called «England’s Little California», because it has a warmer climate than any other part of England; it also has some of the finest coast scenery, with dozens of wonderful bays, stretches of golden sand, and fine cliffs. The utmost westerly point of the peninsula is called Land’s End, popular for holidaymaking and surf riding because it is the only place in Great Britain where great ocean waves (called «rollers») can be enjoyed. Practically there is no difference between summer and winter temperatures. As in real California, fruit, vegetables, and flowers are grown for winter and spring markets of other parts of the country. The hillsides are covered with heather and remain green all year round, except August, when they become purple because of flowering heather. This type of scenery — hills covered with heather — is called the moor.
The English names of types of landscape are often confusing. For instance, the words moor and heath refer to the open areas covered with heather, but a moor is hilly, while a heath is flat. In other cases, the things may be similar from the geological point of view, but the vegetation that grow there or the shapes of hills may be responsible forthe use of different terms. For instance, a valley between the hills is called a coomb in Cornwall, a chine in Hampshire, a dale in Yorkshire, a glen in Scotland. From the geological point of view, they are alike, but the colour or/and the shape of rocks are different: the hills around a Cornish coomb are covered with heather, while on both sides of a Hampshire chine are bare cliffs, and the hills on both sides of a Yorkshire dale are more round, resembling a basket of eggs.
Travelling further to the north, you get to Cumberland. The place most popular with the visitors because of the Lake District, made famous in the end of the 18th century by the great Romantic poets (Wordsworth, Coleridge, Southy) who lived and worked there. The district contains the nub of mountains, the highest in England, from which radiate a number of valleys, most of them containing long lakes. The most famous of them is Windermere — the largest lake in England. The place is frequented by goers, who enjoy walking over and round the heather-covered mountains called fells. The place is also an attraction for the rock-climbers, as there are many rocks with sharp-pointed summits called the pikes.
If you move from the Lake District along the border with Scotland, you have to cross the Cheviots — the 35-mile range of grassy hills noted for the sort of sheep that graze on them — cheviots. It is one of the loneliest places in England, as there are no towns or even big villages there. Northern England also includes the Pennines — «the backbone of England» — a chain of hills that runs down to the Midlands, separating the Lancashire Plain from the Yorkshire Moors. On the moorland between the hills, which Emily Bronte described in her novel «Wuthering Heights», there are many small lakes, called here «loughs» (pronounced [mxs] or [bks]), similar to the word the Scots used for lake, «loch». The lakes are small but beautiful. To the south of the Moors the land becomes low-lying. This part of the county is called Yorkshire Dales— the scenery, described by John Priestley as most wonderful, where everything worth seeing on the Earth is packed within short distances.
Answer the following questions:
1. What is the reputation of the counties situated in the western part of England?
2. Who was King Arthur of the Celts’ legends? What enemies did he fight against?
3. Why is this region called «England’s Little California»?
4. What place is called Land’s End? Why is it popular with the surf-riders?
5. What term is used to describe the scenery of the West Country? Can you explain the difference between the types of landscapes described by the terms «moor» and «heath»?
6. What types of valleys are described by the terms «coomb»,’idale» and «glen»?
7. What place in the north of England is especially popular with the visitors? What attracts them there? What does the place look like? Do you remember the name of the largest lake in England?
8. What term is used to refer to the people who like to walk over the mountainous places? And those who like to climb the mountain peaks? What is the difference between the fells and the pikes?
9. How long is the Cheviot chain of hills? What sort of place is it? Do they look different from the hills in the Lake District?
10. In what direction does the Pennine chain of hills stretch out? Why is it called the «backbone of England»? What places does it separate? In what well-known English novel the place called Yorkshire Moors is described? What is the difference between the moors and the dales? Why did the writer John Priestley like the Yorkshire Dales?
The Backbone of Britain
The Backbone of Britain
The Backbone of Britain
H istory records that the monarchy has been the backbone of Britain, the unfailing institution on which all other elements of national power and character have depended. The monarchy was at the vanguard of Britain’s march to unmatched global wealth and influence during the 18th and 19th centuries. British royals revolutionized international politics and law. Much of the world—from America to Australia, India to South Africa—has at one time or another been branded with the mark of the British royal family.
Be it King John and the Magna Carta, Henry viii and the Act of Supremacy, or William of Orange and the Bill of Rights, the British monarchy has been at the vanguard of Britain’s (and the world’s) judicial and political evolution. The Magna Carta, a revolutionary legal charter signed and sanctioned by England’s King John in 1215 to provide a framework for relations between king and country, has inspired nearly all modern democracies and their constitutions, including America’s Declaration of Independence.
Whether they were bold military geniuses saving England from death or fortresses of inspiration for a depressed nation, the royals have played a critical role in every major military conflict Britain has entered. During the Hundred Years’ War, King Henry v ’s displayed military genius and courageous leadership in the decisive battle of Agincourt.
History defies the people today who pass the monarchy tas an entertaining fest of celebrity shenanigans.
Of all the feats and splendor of Britain’s monarchs, none match the accomplishments of Queen Victoria, Britain’s longest-ruling monarch. As queen of Great Britain and Ireland and the empress of India, Victoria sat on the throne at the height of Britain’s global achievements. She was queen of more than a nation; she ruled a staggeringly expansive, unspeakably wealthy empire. She spearheaded Britain’s transition from a medieval nation to the most modern industrial power on Earth.
People today wince at public displays of patriotism, but Churchill gloried in Victorian England, a time when, as historian William Manchester wrote, “… Victorians responded quickly to calls of duty, the flag, the race, the white man’s burden; the lot” (The Last Lion). During the 19th century under Queen Victoria, as Churchill himself wrote in A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, “Sovereign had become the symbol of Empire.” Under Victoria, the royal crown became the glue binding the vast and diverse British Empire together.
Queen Victoria’s duty, honor and love for the people and for the British Empire stirred the loyalty of Englishmen. “High devotion to her royal task, domestic virtues, evident sincerity of nature, a piercing and sometimes disconcerting truthfulness—all of these qualities of the queen’s had long impressed themselves upon the minds of her subjects” (ibid.). Even politicians who opposed Victoria and her policies respected “the watchful sense of duty that always moved her.” By the time Queen Victoria died, “[A]ll reflecting men and women could appreciate the advance of British power and the progress of the British peoples that had taken place during the age to which she gave her name” (ibid.).
“There is no doubt that of all the institutions which have grown up among us over the centuries, or sprung into being in our lifetime, the constitutional monarchy is the most deeply founded and dearly cherished by the whole association of our peoples.” Quite an endorsement from this great statesman, perhaps the greatest we have ever seen.
Do you prize the monarchy today as Winston Churchill did?
The denigration of the royal family of England to little more than fodder for trivial tabloids is a monstrous tragedy.
Such gross memory loss portends tragic events for Britain!
In June 1953, the National and English Review cited Herbert Agar saying, “Without the crown there can obviously be no Britain and no Commonwealth. … Without Britain and the Commonwealth, there can be no tolerable future.” This institution has been the heart that pumped life into Britain. History declares loudly that the success or failure of the throne of David, Britain’s bedrock institution, largely determines the success or failure of Britain.