Ben Nevis. Highest point in the British Isles

State flag Great Britain.

Great Britain (Great Britain, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) - a state in Western Europe; consists of four historical areas: England (39 counties and 7 metropolitan counties), Wales (8 counties), Scotland (9 counties) and Northern Ireland (26 counties). A special regime has been established for the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Great Britain leads the Commonwealth of Nations (until 1947 it was called the British Commonwealth of Nations), created in 1931. Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy. The head of state (as well as the head of the Commonwealth) is Queen Elizabeth II. Legislative power in the country belongs to the monarch (purely formally) and the parliament, consisting of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the actual power is concentrated in the hands of the government headed by the Prime Minister. In fact, two parties are fighting for power - the Conservatives and the Laborites.

London. Buckingham Palace - the main residence of the British monarchs; was built by the architect John Nash. First half of the 19th century. The first monarch to settle in the palace was Queen Victoria.

The population of Great Britain is 60.7 million people, mainly English (80%), as well as Scots, Welsh (indigenous people of Wales), Irish. The stability and prosperity of the country attracts numerous immigrants from different parts of the world. In most major cities, there are neighborhoods populated by Indians and Pakistanis, Chinese, immigrants from Arab countries... Most of the population is concentrated in the most industrialized southern and central regions of England, where Largest cities- London (metropolitan area called Greater London), Portsmouth, Southampton, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield. Great Britain is one of the highly urbanized countries. Most English people belong to the Anglican State Church (one of the largest branches of Protestant Christianity), and there are also many Catholics and Methodists in Wales.

Queen of Great Britain Elizabeth II Windsor.

Geography

Great Britain is located in the northwest of Europe, on the British Isles (the island of Great Britain is the largest, the northeastern part of the island of Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, numerous small ones: the Hebrides, Shetland, Orkney, etc.). Great Britain is washed by Atlantic Ocean, seas - the North and the Irish, the English Channel (locally called the English Channel), Pas-de-Calais, North and St. George. Coastline strongly dissected by numerous bays (fjords in the north and river estuaries in the south), forms large peninsulas Wales and Cornwall.

Parts of the country differ significantly in relief and climate. In the north and west prevails mountainous relief- The Scottish Highlands (the highest peak in the UK is Ben Nevis, its height is 1343 m), the South Scottish Uplands, the Pennine and Cambrian mountains. These mountain systems have plateau-like peaks and gentle slopes covered with vegetation. The eastern and southern parts of the country are occupied by hilly plains framed by rocky ridges (cuestas). The mountains are dominated by peatlands, moorlands and meadows used for pastures. Oak, beech and birch forests cover about 8% of the country's territory.

Great Britain has a large number of rivers, many of which are navigable and connected by canals. Among the largest rivers are the Thames, Severn, Trent. Lakes abound in the north of the country, the largest being Loch Ney in Northern Ireland, Loch Ness and Loch Lomond in Scotland. Off the northwest spurs of the Pennines is the vast Lake District. Great Britain, especially Scotland, is called the land of fog and rain.

The island position and the warm Atlantic current of the Gulf Stream determines the climate of Great Britain: mild and humid, oceanic. Freezing temperatures are rare even in winter. The wettest cities are Liverpool and Manchester, it rains here 220-230 days a year. There are also a lot of rainy days in London - 180 days a year, but this does not mean that it rains from morning to evening. In spring and summer, the weather is changeable, and rain clouds are quickly replaced by the blazing sun.

In the mountains, especially in the north - in Scotland - frosts are common in winter, and snow on many slopes lies from November to April-May. On the peaks and slopes of the mountains facing the sea, in many parts of the coast, the cold is exacerbated by constant winds. Scotland would have lost some of its flavor without overcast low skies and piercing winds.

Scotland. Loch Ness.

Loch Ness in Scotland is famous primarily as the abode of Nessie - a semi-mythical monster (either a descendant of dinosaurs, or even a fabulous beast), which, according to legend, lives in the depths of the lake, sometimes appearing on the surface.

United Kingdom. Lake District. Lake Windermere.

Lovers of lakes and water recreation should visit the Lake District (Lancashire and Cumbria counties), where the largest in England is located national park... The steep coastal cliffs of the Hebrides, cut by fjords, are attractive, the most beautiful of them is the island of Aion. The Orkney Islands are well worth a visit, including the Bass Rock Bird Island Bird Sanctuary.

Lovers mountain tourism, skiing and rock climbing will attract the mountains of Scotland: the Aylond Hills ( favorite place Walter Scott's walks), the Cairngorms, the Pennines, especially the Peak District at their southern tip on the England-Wales border.

The mountains and coasts of Wales are extraordinarily beautiful - especially in the northern part of it, where the most high mountain England and Wales - Snowdon (1085 m), the surrounding Snowdonia National Park is filled with numerous mountain streams, waterfalls, wooded valleys. Sulfur, salt and other mineral springs are located in the southwest of Wales.

Lovers of paleontology are undoubtedly interested in seeing Devon's limestone deposits, where ancient fossils have been found. The name of this county, thanks to the finds made in its depths, began to be called a whole geological era!

History

The British Isles have been inhabited since antiquity. Tin has been mined here since prehistoric times; the Phoenicians and Greeks called them that - the Tin Islands. Archaeological excavations have discovered sites ancient man Paleolithic era (40,000–10,000 BC) in Wales and Derbyshire, Neolithic monuments (3400–1600 BC) in mounds on the chalk hills of South and East England, in South Wales, Gloucestershire, Norfolk and many other places, remnants of settlements , defensive structures of the Bronze and Iron Ages (up to 450 years BC) throughout the country. The most amazing and famous monument is Stonehenge.

Salisbury. Cromlech. Stonehenge.

The builders of Stonehenge did not leave their name to descendants. We know the name of their successors - the Celts. The Celts came here in the second half of the 1st millennium BC. NS. We know about them mainly from the descriptions of Julius Caesar, who conquered Britain. The Romans established themselves here very fragilely, there were frequent uprisings. However, it was the Romans who founded many cities, including the capital - London, then Londinius. The Romans did not succeed in conquering all the islands (and they did not need relatively cold northern lands). To isolate themselves from the barbarians from the north, they built a number of fortifications, the most famous of the surviving ones being the Hadrian's Wall, which separates England from Scotland (erected by Emperor Hadrian in 122-130). The city gates at Lincoln, the gates at Colchester, the baths at Bath, and numerous ruins of Roman military fortifications have survived to this day.

United Kingdom. Andrianov shaft.

The Romans brought Christianity to the Celts and merged with the local population. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the Celts had their own kingdoms. One of the kings, Arthur from the Pendragon dynasty, became famous not so much as a real historical person, but as a hero of later legends. Until now, in the legends of the Arthurian cycle, researchers are looking for historical truth. Memorial sites in Cornwell are associated with Arthur, his supposed grave (plundered in the Middle Ages) is located in Glastonbury. The Celts ceded in the 6th century. the conquerors of the Angles and the Saxons - the peoples of the German group. The Anglo-Saxons (in the north of the country they were also joined by the Jutes) were soon baptized. And not from the Celts, but from Augustine sent from Rome. Augustine became the first archbishop of Canterbury and under him the construction of the main cathedral began. And to this day, the Archbishop of Canterbury is the Primate of the Church of England.

The Aglo-Saxons founded several kingdoms, sometimes united among themselves, sometimes at war. Their boundaries generally coincide with the boundaries of the historic counties. Aglo-Saxon is the foundation of modern English. Among the legends of the Saxons is the legend of King Lear, later used by Shakespeare. The epic Beowulf has also survived from the Saxons. In Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and partly in Cornwell, the Celtic population remained.

For a long time, the Angosaxons paid tribute to the Vikings - "Danish money". King Alfred the Great (c. 849-900) united the country and stopped paying tribute. However, after his death, King Canud I the Mighty united England with the countries of Scandinavia. Close ties with the Vikings continued even later. After the death of the childless King Edward the Confessor (1066), three contenders declared the right to the throne: from the Anglo-Saxons - Harold, from the Vikings from Norway - also Harold (married, by the way, to one of the daughters of Yaroslav the Wise), from Normandy - Wilhelm. William's troops, having crossed the English Channel, fought with the Anglo-Saxons and the Plantagenet dynasty began to rule England. These kings spoke French and English a lot of French words have penetrated. Even the famous Richard the Lionheart did not speak English.

Literary English was born in the late 14th century with the publication of The Canterbury Tales by J. Chaucer. At this time, the country was going through the Hundred Years War, in which success was mainly on the side of England, but ultimately it lost, losing its continental possessions. The Plantegenet dynasty was replaced by the Tudors as a result of the War of the Scarlet and White Rose. In the same war, almost all of the old nobility perished, the new gentry nobles became the mainstay of the new dynasty. During the reign of Henry VIII (1491-1547), two great things began that had a huge impact on the history of the country: the fences that drove the peasants from the land and the Reformation, the formation of the Anglican Church. Henry's daughter Elizabeth I (1533-1603) made England a great power with her wise and careful policy. She paid special attention to the development of the fleet and sent her people to establish colonies.

Her reign is the golden age of English culture, whose decoration was the work of Shakespeare. Elizabeth was childless and left the throne to her relative, Jacob Stuart, the son of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots. Mary Elizabeth was executed, accused of attempting to assassinate herself and thereby created a precedent for regicide in Europe. The accession of the Stuarts united England and Scotland. The son of James (James) I, King Charles I, was executed during the revolution in 1649. England was a republic for almost two decades. Here religious strife broke out between the various branches of Protestantism. Despite the slight difference in faith, the Puritans and Independents destroyed each other, and along the way, many others. With the restoration of the monarchy (Charles II, on the throne since 1660), religious disputes were ended and many customs that were forbidden by the Puritans were restored. Hence the British love for the holiday of Christmas, which was banned during the revolution.

The Stuart dynasty was not very popular and was replaced by another, the Hanoverian. Already in the 18th century, the Industrial Revolution began in England. The first was created here steam engine J. Watt, the world's first spinning machines and weaving machines appeared. Although the discovery of porcelain was made in England even later than in Russia, England became the home of the original "stone masses", varieties of ceramics, the center of production of which was and remains the historic county of Staffordshire. In the 18th century. Britain lost colonies in North America, which separated and formed the United States (but Canada remained), but began to populate Australia and conquer India. During the reign of Queen Victoria (1819-1901), the country became Great Britain, creating an empire over which the sun never set. The Victorian age was a flourishing period for English culture. And the names of cultural figures are not so amazed by their grandeur or deep psychologism, but by their inimitable ability to captivate the reader with a plot, create surprisingly believable images of heroes, scare, laugh and warm with a description of home comfort.

The Victorians are Charles Dickens, William Thackeray, Arthur Conan Doyle. Under Queen Victoria, the main rule of British state life was finally formed: the queen reigns, but does not rule. There is no constitution in the country, but its role is played by a whole body of laws, starting with the famous Habeas Corpus and the Bill of Rights. The leading role belongs to the parliament, the party that won the parliamentary elections forms its own government headed by the prime minister. During the reign of Queen Victoria, Whigs (liberals) and Tories (conservatives) fought for power. At the beginning of the 20th century, a new political force arose in the country - the Labor (Workers) Party. Influenced by the impressions of the October Revolution of 1917, changes were made in the legislation in order to improve the situation of workers and employees. If the London "bottom" of the 19th century. was considered a place of accumulation of criminals and beggars, then from the beginning of the 20th century. it is gradually being put in order.

Two world wars contributed to the collapse of the colonial system. After experiencing a period of stagnation (especially in the 1950s), the UK became one of the founders of the European Union of Coal and Steel, from which the European Union has now grown.

Architecture and landmarks

English architectural styles are distinctive. The Romanesque style of the Anglo-Saxons, which prevailed in architecture until the middle of the 11th century, was distinguished by the simplicity of architectural and construction techniques: simple semicircular arches, gable roofs borrowed from the usual wooden architecture. The Norman Romanesque style that replaced it lasted until the end of the 12th century. It was distinguished by an abundance of identical powerful columns, round decorated window openings and ceiling vaults, narrow windows, and not very powerful buttresses.

Edinburgh. Lock.

Prominent Norman-style castles are Headingham in Essex and Conisbrow in Yorkshire. Part of the buildings of Edinburgh Castle in Scotland is made in the same style. Early Gothic is characteristic of the buildings of the 13th century, their general appearance is determined by the substantial height and vastness, long windows reaching the base of the building (the facade of the Cathedral in Lincoln, fragments of the cathedrals in Ely and Peterborough).

Or. Gothic cathedral... 14th century

In the 14th century, English Gothic, otherwise called decorative, came to replace the early one - in such architecture, a characteristic emphasis is placed on individual elements of the ornament: huge lancet windows with intricate openwork stone carvings, heavy buttresses, pillars with tightly connected ribs, sculptures entwined with leaves, cornices, floral ornaments. This style is best represented by the cathedrals of York, Norwich and Lincoln, separate elements of Westminster Abbey.

London. Westminster Abbey. Gothic church 1245-1745, chapel of Henry VII - 1503-1519 Coronation site of English kings, starting with William the Conqueror. Since the 13th century, Westminster Abbey has been the burial vault of the English kings (the last of them was George II, 1760; since then, burials have been made at Windsor Castle), statesmen, and famous people. Legends attribute the founding of the abbey to the Saxon king Sibert (7th century), the first Christian Saxon.

The richest ornamentation has reached perfection in construction art late Gothic, or "perpendicular" style (late 14th century - 15th century), characterized by a particular fondness for vertical planes(Kings College, Cambridge, St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, and Henry VII's Chapel at Westminster Abbey). In the 16th and early 18th centuries, the Renaissance and Baroque dominated Great Britain, their elements were often mixed in the same building. The most important monument of the style called "English Baroque" is Cathedral St. Paul's in London, built in the last third of the 17th century by Sir Christopher Wren, one of the greatest English architects. In the external appearance of this building there is a spatial scope, fusion, fluidity of complex curvilinear forms.

In the 19th century, the Victorian style replaced the monumental Georgian style. One of the world's most famous buildings, Buckingham Palace, is made in this style. Having withstood the trials of fate (on September 9, 1940, a German bomb fell on the palace, three days later it was attacked again), he appears before us in all its grandeur and beauty. Later styles - from Proto-Byzantine (Westminster Cathedral in London) to Art Nouveau and Constructivism - did not change the existing architectural appearance of most cities in Great Britain, although they sometimes gave an irresistible charm to their urban development. New

National characteristics

The adherence of the British to traditions is manifested not only in politics, but literally at every step, in the most ordinary life: the British adhere to their own system of measures and weights (in a pub - an English beer bar - you will always be served a pint of beer, not half a liter), left-hand traffic (when crossing the street, look to the right, then to the left). Of course, many purely “nutritious traditions” remained only in wonderful novels and films based on them. Breakfast in the form of eggs and bacon is not so popular due to the inconsistency with the rules of "healthy eating", puddings and meat pies survive only in a few "points" with local cuisine... Many are even sounding the alarm about the onset of varied continental (French, Mediterranean) cuisine and inexpensive food service establishments with Indian, Chinese, Thai and other Asian cuisine.

Tea with milk has long become the national drink of the British, their indispensable daily "five o'clock tea" - "five o'clock on the clock" - is not just a strictly fixed meal time, but above all a reason for communicating with relatives, friends, colleagues. This famous English tradition has spread in Europe and the United States. Nowadays, a tribute to tradition is not just a decoration. If near Edinburgh Castle you see a guard in an operetta, in the eyes of a modern European, Scottish skirt, then the carbine in his hands, you can be sure, is not a toy at all. And the Scottish Guardsman himself is not an actor hired to entertain tourists, but a young man who is serving in a guard company for military service is necessarily from the old family of Gordons, who have long been granted the privilege of guarding the castle of the kings of Scotland. Equally functional are the old-fashioned cabs and omnibuses on the streets of London, and the clerks hurrying to the City of London in the morning carry, taking in their armfuls, all the folders with papers.

National cuisine

True British cuisine is either high quality and expensive, or, if you are content with simple food, it is inexpensive and is included in the menu of any of the cafes you meet at every step. The pubs will offer many of the best beers and quality inexpensive food, and most importantly, the opportunity to chat, relax and feel the breath of English traditions.

Wine bars are popular - a cross between a pub and a restaurant. In all large hotels it is customary to serve "Afternoon tea" (five-o "clock tea), furnished with a special ritual. If desired, a guest of London can make a real culinary" trip around the world". In the menu of 14,000 restaurants in the city, the most common dishes are Indian cuisine, Chinese restaurants are also famous, continental African and Middle Eastern cuisine is offered. Sandwich cafes and bars offer an "English breakfast" which usually consists of a huge sandwich, light snack, tea or cappuccino coffee. These cafes work from early morning until noon.

Chippie (open from 11.00 to 23.00) serves hearty and mouth-watering dishes: fish and potatoes fried in boiling oil, grilled chicken, sausages and pies. The best chippie, according to Londoners, is the Upper Street Free Shop on the street of the same name. The brasserie has a fine selection of drinks and a variety of light snacks. The most visited in London are Soho Brasserie on Old Compton Street, La Brasserie on Brampton Road, L "Oreil on Sloan Square. As for restaurants, the best roast beef in London can be tasted at Simpson-in-the-Strand, the best English cuisine. - at the Ritz Hotel famous for roast beef, English leg of lamb, English pork pies, English trifle (pastries). The British also love lobster (lobster salad, lobster butterflies). Alcoholic drinks on Sundays are sold only after 19.00.

The shops

It's hard not to catch shoplifting fever in London. Find the latest in fashion from the world's best couturiers at Knightsbridge and Brompton Cross, Bond Street and Sloane Street. Fashion trendsetters are centered around Beachamp Place, and decent clothing for a reasonable price can be found in shops on Oxford Street. Avant-garde and exotic apparel is sold on King's Road as well as the Kensington Market on High Kensington Street, during the Seasonal Sales in late January / early February and late June / early July, prices drop quite significantly.

At Covent Garden, full of stalls with outlandish goods, you will certainly find something exotic, which is sometimes difficult to find a name. There you will also meet street actors, fakirs, sword swallowers. One of the oldest covered markets in London is located on the same square. Shops are usually open from 9-10 am to 5-6 pm, some are open late.

All items sold in UK stores are subject to 17.5% Value Added Tax, which is usually included in the price of the item. If the purchase price exceeds £ 100, then upon crossing the border within three months of the purchase, a VAT refund of 11% of the product price can be claimed (for non-EU tourists). In the store, when buying, respectively, you must ask for a certificate.

Currency

The country's monetary unit is the pound sterling (GBP). The UK is part of the European Union, but not the euro area. One pound is equal to 100 pence. In addition to the Bank of England, five more banks issue pounds sterling in the UK: the Bank of Scotland, three Northern Irish banks and a bank on the island of Jersey. Each of them issues their own banknotes. A tourist can slip a non-convertible Scottish pound instead of English. You can only exchange the Northern Ireland pound for British Isles... Travelers are less likely to come across a Jersey pound, but there are scammers who specialize in slipping such local pounds to foreigners.

Holidays

The country's national holiday is the birthday of the reigning Queen Elizabeth II. She was actually born on April 21st. On this day, she is congratulated in the press. The official celebration is postponed to the second Saturday in June. Christmas is celebrated on December 25, New Year December 31 - January 1. At this time, the country has Christmas holidays, which affect most businesses and institutions. December 26 (Boxing Day) is also a day off. Easter is a rolling spring holiday. The weekend is Good Friday on the eve of Easter. In Wales, the day off is the Day of St. David (patron saint of the Welsh) - March 1. In Scotland on November 30, St. Andrew's Day is celebrated - the patron saint of the country (in common with Russia). March 17 - Day of St. Patrick, the educator of Ireland. St. George's Day is celebrated in England (23 April). May 1 is an official day off, since the 20th century it has been celebrated as Labor Day, but actually one of the oldest pan-European holidays of the arrival of spring. Halloween is celebrated on October 31 - the eve of All Saints Day. On this day, children dress up as witches and various small evil spirits and ask for sweets and inexpensive gifts. Guy Fawkes Day is celebrated on November 5. This is not a hero, but a participant in the so-called Gunpowder Plot in 1605, when Catholics tried to blow up Parliament, where the king was supposed to speak. Since then, the effigy of Guy Fawkes has been ceremoniously burned late at night.

Ben Nevis ( Ben nevis or Beinn nibheis) rises in the Scottish Grampian Mountains at 1344 meters. Here you will be greeted by slopes covered with dense grass, quite often interspersed with large stones and boulders.

How can you rest?

The path to this mountain, first of all, is kept by lovers of long walks and delightful landscapes that allow you to truly feel the unity with nature.

Here you can surely find something to do according to your taste and ability. Someone is counting on long bike rides on fairly specific trails, someone is eager to quickly get their climbing equipment and climb to the very clouds, and someone just wants to test themselves for endurance.

It will also be quite interesting for those who have long been fond of alpine skiing and snowboarding. They will be able to have a rich time on the nearby Nevis Range - one of the famous resorts Scotland.

In the event that you get tired of a day full of impressions, you can always find yourself in the cozy tourist town of Fort William, where, in addition to fragrant cafes and cheerful pubs, a distillery awaits you. Dew of Ben Nevis and the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which starred in the Harry Potter films.

Interesting Facts

• Locals affectionately call this stone monolith “ Ben».
• The name of this mountain comes from the Scottish phrase “ Beinn nibheis", Which can be translated into Russian as" Evil mountain».
• There is also another version of the origin of the name. The phrase " beinn n? amh-bhathais"Can be literally translated as" a mountain whose summit is hidden by clouds».
• On average, this mountain is covered with thick clouds for 355 days out of 365. Strong storms, showers and thunderstorms are quite frequent. However, if you are lucky enough to be here in good weather, then you can admire the unique and beautiful landscape of the surrounding area, looking up to 200 kilometers around you.
• If you decide to climb to the top of this mountain, then get ready for the fact that the path can take you about eight hours. And, most likely, it will take place in rather difficult conditions.
• In 1881, there was an observatory on the top of the mountain, which could only work for 21 years. At the moment, you will only see ruins.
• There are two picturesque lakes Loch Lynn and Loch Eile, where you can also admire the picturesque landscapes and have fun.

How to get there?

As a rule, their journey up the mountain begins with the nearby Fort William. From here from Glasgow there are regular shuttles buses, arrive at the local station trains with many tourists and lovers of colorful rest. You will also have a place to stay for a couple of nights by parking your automobile at one of the friendly hotels.

The facts that will be discussed in this article will not particularly strike your imagination. The UK is made up of several countries in the British Isles: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is nothing in the UK that is the largest, longest, widest, deepest or tallest in the world. But, like any other country, no matter how large or small, there are geographical facts of national importance.

1. Highest mountain in the UK

Let's start our story about the geographical facts of Great Britain from the highest mountain Ben Nevis. This 1343 m high mountain is part of the Grampian Mountains, located in Scotland. Scotland has the highest mountain ranges in the UK. Of the ten tallest mountain points in the UK, all but one are in Scotland. The Scottish mountains are magnificent and loved by tourists for the beauty of the scenery and for the opportunity to relax in the fresh air.

2. Longest river in Great Britain

This fact applies to the River Severn, which has dual citizenship, flowing through England and Wales from the mouth of the Bristol Canal. You may be surprised to learn that it is only 354 km long, compared to the mighty Nile, which is itself long river in the world with a length of 6670 km. The Thames River is the second largest with a length of 215 km.

3. The largest lake in the UK

Many people will think this is the English Lake District. This is not the case - the two largest lakes in the UK are actually located in the northern part of the island. Lough Neagh is the largest and is actually 3 times larger than the next largest, Lower Lough Eme. Loch Lomond is the largest lake in Scotland, Lake Bala in Wales and Windermere in England. If the UK's artificial reservoirs are included in the list of the largest reservoirs, many of them will be higher than many known lakes.

4. Highest waterfall in Great Britain

In the UK, you won't find astounding geographic facts, but there is one comparatively interesting. The title of the high waterfall Great Britain belongs to the Scottish waterfall Is Chual Aluinn (Eas a ’Chual Aluinn) and translates as“ beautiful spit waterfall ”. Its height is 201 m - it does not sound very high, but it is 3 times higher Niagara Falls... The difference is that Is Chual Aluinn is only a small stream.

5. The deepest gorges in Great Britain

I tried to find gorges to look out for, but this is very difficult to do because the mountainous regions of Great Britain are far from American canyons. However, there are breathtaking gorges in the UK. Some of them: Cheddar Gorge, where the famous Lydford cheese was invented, Avon Gorge and Gordale Scar Gorge, interestingly, they are all in England.

6. Caves of Great Britain

The honor of being the deepest cave in Great Britain belongs to Ogof Ffynnon Ddu in Wales, which consists of a network of fragments 30 km long and goes to a depth of just over 1 km. The deepest cave in England is Peak Cavern (248 m), in Scotland - Cnoc nan Uamh (83 m), and the deepest cave on the North Island is Reyford Pot (193 m).

7. The coldest place in the UK

The UK is world renowned for its humid and cold climate. Summer is almost never here. Many places in the UK have temperatures below freezing in winter, but there is one small village in the Scotland that is known as the coldest place in the UK. This village is called Altnaharra and is constantly buried under the snow, and the recorded low temperatures reach the values ​​of the South Pole.

8. The largest port in Great Britain

You've probably never heard of Poole, a vibrant seaside town on south coast England. The town is home to the UK's largest port, but surprisingly, it is the second largest natural harbor in the world after Sydney Harbor. Unfortunately, Poole lacks the grandeur of Sydney and has nothing to compete with the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Opera House.

9.Longest beach in Great Britain

The longest beach in the UK is Chesil Beach, which features a 30-kilometer spit of pebbles on the south coast of England. It connects the Portland Peninsula to the mainland and is an obstacle to the Fleet Lagoon. The longest sandy beach is Burrow Beach in Somerset in England and SW Pendine Sands Beach in Wales. Burrow is considered the second longest sandy site in Europe.

10. National parks of Great Britain

There are currently 15 national parks in the United Kingdom. One of them is located in Northern Ireland, England has the lion's share of ten parks, Scotland boasts three, and Wales has two. National parks the UK is not the same as everywhere else. National parks in other countries are usually government-controlled and do not have a permanent population. In the UK they are managed locally and regulated by a dedicated National Park Authority. The UK also has areas of the countryside that are classified as areas of exceptional natural beauty. National parks include Cairngorms (largest), Snowdonia, Lake District, and Peak District.

Highest mountain in Great Britain

Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the British Isles (1,344 m), lies at the western end of the Grampian Mountains, part of the Scottish Highlands. Not far from the mountain there is a shopping and tourist centre, Fort William city. The fort on the shores of Loch Linnhe was founded in the 17th century. and for decades was the only bastion of civilization in this isolated and harsh land.
The first known ascent of the mountain was made in 1771 by a botanist from Edinburgh, James Robertson, who collected samples of vegetation.
In subsequent years, the mountain was explored by geologists, and in 1847 the Cartographic Society confirmed that it is the highest in Britain.
In 1883, an observatory was built on the summit of Ben Nevis, which functioned continuously for 21 years. The meteorological data collected during this period are still important for understanding the weather. Its ruins are one of the landmarks of Mount Ben Nevis. Simultaneously with the construction of the observatory, a convenient path was laid to the top, along which the Pony Track ponies could climb. With the opening of this path and the observatory, the popularity of the ascents increased, and even more after the railway was laid in Fort William (1894). Around the same time, several cogwheel construction projects emerged. railroad to the top. But none of them have been implemented. A Pony Track is still the most popular route for tourist ascents.

The proximity to Fort William, the relatively modest height by international standards and the seemingly easy path have become the reasons that tens of thousands of people try to conquer this peak every year. And several people die every year.

Locals, and guests of the highlands of Scotland, in a friendly way call the mountain simply Ben. However, there is little friendly in the name of the summit. It comes from the Gaelic Beinn Nibheis, where Beinn means "mountain" and Nibheis can be understood as "wicked", "wicked". According to another, more romantic version, the name comes from beinn neamh-bhat-hais, which means "mountain with a head in the clouds", or simply "mountain of the sky."
Upon closer acquaintance with Ben Nevis, people realize that the mountain is treacherous. Climbing it is safe only for those who know the local conditions well. The weather on Ben Nevis is extremely changeable, cold wet wind can blow unexpectedly. Without warm, waterproof clothing, a compass and a map, there's nothing to do here.
First part tourist route really easy. One and a half kilometers from Fort William is the small hotel Achintee House, from which the ascent begins along the scenic trail. At an altitude of 711 m, on a small intermountain plateau, there is Lohan Mill and T-Sud. Above, the road begins to climb upward in zigzags, snow and fog begin, in which it is already easy to get lost and stumble.
Despite the dangers, mountain crossings to the top of the mountain and back are organized here every first Saturday in September. The current record is about an hour and a half.
For those who do not want to take risks, there is a funicular, on which you can climb almost to the top, admiring the picturesque panoramas. From the highest point in Britain, a view opens up within a radius of almost 200 km.

general information

The most high point Great Britain

Neighboring vertices: Karn Mor Derg (1220), Karn Derg (1020), Aonah Big (1234)

Nearest town: Fort william
Nearest large river: Nevis

Numbers

Height: 1344 m

Base Perimeter: 38 km

Distance from Fort William: 6.5 km

Scientists have recalculated the height of Mount Hope

Bypassing the recalculation of the height of the peaksv Antarctica in Great Britain has formally changed the highest mountain of the state, if you count with the overseas territories.

Now this status has received the Mount of Hope (Mt Hope), which is located near the Braidmore Glacier.

After recalculation, its height is 3 thousand 239 meters, which is 55 meters higher than Mount Jackson (3 thousand 184 meters), which previously had the "title" of the British highest peak.

On the British island itself, the highest is Mount Ben Nevis in Scotland - 1,345 meters.

Mount Hope is located in the British Antarctic Territory. Under the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, no country can mine minerals or deploy military forces there.

The territory is used only for scientific research.

The British compared the height of their mountains with the height of the highest - Everest, which is on the left

A certain part of the continent, in particular the Antarctic Peninsula, the coast of the Weddell Sea and lands to the south - up to the South Pole - is claimed by Great Britain, whose researchers in the 19th and early 20th centuries discovered these territories.

So, Mount Hope was discovered and named by the English polar explorer Ernest Shackleton in 1908.

"Photogrammetry"

Air Force science correspondent Jonathan Amos explains that the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) decided to list the height of the mountains for disturbing pilots who fly over the snow-covered mainland.

“There are no roads in Antarctica to get anywhere, you have to fly by plane. And if you are flying, you must know exactly where the mountains are and how high they are, ”explains Dr. Peter Fretwell, who carries out these calculations for BAS.

“There have been plane crashes on the continent, and we believe that some of them happened bypassing imperfect maps,” the researcher adds.

The BAS program involves the study of the total British sector of the Antarctic, in particular the Antarctic Peninsula, near which the Ukrainian station "Akademik Vernadsky" operates.

Antarctic mountains are an impressive sight

At the same time, Mount Vinson remains undoubtedly the highest mountain range Antarctica - its height is 4 thousand 892 meters.

In their research, British scientists used powerful satellite imagery.

The vertices were removed from two positions, and then, with trigonometric calculations, their height was determined.

“We call it photogrammetry,” notes Dr. Fretwell.

As a result of recalculations, the height of Mount Hope increased from 2 thousand 960 meters to 3 thousand 239 meters.

The researchers say that their method allows only 5 meters of error, so there should be no discussion as to which is higher - Mount Hope or Mount Jackson.

Jonathan Amos notes that the Antarctic Peninsula's chain of peaks, which contains both mountains, is one of the most spectacular places on the planet.

Scientists say that it was formed 50 to 100 million years ago as a result of the "sliding" of the oceanic tectonic plate under Antarctica.

Later, the relief was "polished" by glaciers, as a result of which the mountains got their present shape.

Detailed Maps

The WorldView-2 satellite is considered one of the best scientific instruments for photography

Dr. Fretwell's team published their findings at the forum of the American Geophysical Society on International Mountain Day. It was introduced by the UN in order to draw people's attention to the ecological situation in the mountains and its impact on humanity and ecosystems.

At the same forum, they talked about a number of other projects to create detailed maps of the Antarctic and Arctic.

Dr. Paul Morin of the Polar Geospatial Center at the University of Minnesota talks about how WorldView-2 was created using satellite imagery. detailed map Arctic - satellite captured and measured the height of every two meters of the region.

Next year, a similar map is expected for Antarctica - there will be seen every 8 meters of terrain.

“With this data, Antarctica will go from being worse than what is shown on the maps to better mapped,” Dr. Paul Morin promised the Air Force.

“This will allow for better and cheaper research. And this will make scientific work safe, because we will know exactly where everything is, ”the scientist added.