Physical Landscapes in the UK

The UK has a range of diverse landscapes.

• An overview of the location of major upland/lowland areas and river systems.

You will study 2 topics from coastal landscapes in the UK, river landscapes in the UK and glacial landscapes in the UK.

Coastal Landscapes in the UK

The coast is shaped by a number of physical processes.

Wave types and characteristics – constructive and destructive waves

Coastal processes:

• weathering processes – mechanical, chemical
• mass movement – sliding, slumping, and rock falls
• erosion – hydraulic power, abrasion and attrition
• transportation – longshore drift
• deposition – why sediment is deposited in coastal areas.

Distinctive coastal landforms are the result of rock type, structure and physical processes:

• How do rock type and structure affect coastal landforms?
• Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from erosion
  – headlands and bays, cliffs and wave-cut platforms, caves, arches and stacks
• Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from deposition – beaches, sand dunes, spits and bars.
• An example of a section of coastline in the UK to identify its major landforms of erosion and deposition – The Holderness Coast | The Dorset Coast

Different management strategies can be used to protect coastlines from the effects of physical processes

The costs and benefits of the following management strategies:

• hard engineering – sea walls, rock armour, gabions and groynes
• soft engineering – beach nourishment and reprofiling, dune regeneration
• managed retreat – coastal realignment.

An example of a coastal management scheme (Mappleton | Hornsea | Lyme Regis) in the UK to show:

• the reasons for management
• the management strategy
• the resulting effects and conflicts.

River Landscapes in the UK

The coast is shaped by a number of physical processes.
The shape of river valleys changes as rivers  flow downstream:

• The long profile and changing cross profile of a river and its valley.

Fluvial processes:

• erosion – hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition, solution, vertical and lateral erosion
• transportation – traction, saltation, suspension and solution
• deposition – why rivers deposit sediment.

Distinctive  fluvial landforms result from different physical processes:

• Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from erosion – interlocking spurs, waterfalls and gorges.
• Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from erosion and deposition – meanders and ox-bow lakes.
• Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from deposition – levées,  floodplains and estuaries.
• An example of a river valley in the UK to identify its major landforms of erosion and deposition – River Tees | River Severn.

Different management strategies can be used to protect river landscapes from the effects of  flooding:

• How physical and human factors affect the flood risk – precipitation, geology, relief and land use.
• The use of hydrographs to show the relationship between precipitation and discharge.
• The costs and benefits of the following management strategies:
  hard engineering – dams and reservoirs, straightening, embankments,  flood relief channels
  soft engineering –  flood warnings and preparation,  floodplain zoning, planting trees and river restoration.

An example of a flood management scheme (Boscastle | Jubilee River | Banbury) in the UK to show:

• why the scheme was required
• the management strategy
• the social, economic and environmental issues.

Glacial Landscapes in the UK

Ice was a powerful force in shaping the physical landscape of the UK:

Maximum extent of ice cover across the UK during the last ice age.

Glacial processes:

• freeze-thaw weathering
• erosion – abrasion and plucking
• movement and transportation – rotational slip and bulldozing
• deposition – why glaciers deposit sediment (till and outwash).

Distinctive glacial landforms result from different physical processes:

• Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from erosion – corries, arêtes, pyramidal peaks, truncated spurs, glacial troughs, ribbon lakes and hanging valleys.
• Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from transportation and deposition – erratics, drumlins, types of moraine.
• An example of an upland area in the UK affected by glaciation to identify its major landforms of erosion and deposition – The Lake District

Glaciated upland areas provide opportunities for different economic activities, and management strategies can be used to reduce land use conflicts:

• An overview of economic activities in glaciated upland areas – tourism, farming, forestry and quarrying.
• Conflicts between different land use, and between development and conservation.
• An example of a glaciated upland area in the UK (The Lake District | Isle of Arran) used for tourism to show:
  • the attractions for tourists
  • social, economic and environmental impacts of tourism
  • strategies used to manage the impact of tourism.