What are the highest peaks in the British Isles. The magnificent mountains of England - it is better to see once
The mountains of England are one of the most interesting natural attractions of this wonderful country. Few tourists associate Foggy Albion with outdoor activities in a mountainous area, but something to know about wild nature The UK is still worth it.
Most high mountains on territory England
So, the mountains of England are included in the system of parks Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty - "Territories of Outstanding Natural Beauty". Among the mountain peaks on the territory of the country, the Scottish mountain Ben Nevis, Snowdon in Wales and Scafell in England are considered the highest.
They are national treasure and protected by law protected areas. Such places are very popular not only among tourists, but also professional athletes. For example, every year in the UK there is a tournament called "The Conquest of the Three Peaks", in which both residents of the United Kingdom and mountain tourism enthusiasts from all over the world take part. The goal of this event is to have time to conquer the three highest mountains in England in 24 hours. The average length of this route is 44 km.
Popular kinds recreation
The highlands of Great Britain are incredibly picturesque and attract with their inimitable wildlife and unique flora. Going to conquer the Welsh peak of Snowdon, do not forget to take a walk in the Snowdonia National Park. This place is loved by families with children, wildlife lovers, athletes and just those who want to retire and spend time away from noisy and dusty cities. The average number of holidaymakers in Snowdonia is 6 million people a year.
Especially for lovers thrill in Scotland, hikes to the highest mountain, Ben Nevis, are held almost all the time. To reach its peak, which is located at an altitude of 1344 m, you need to overcome a distance of 17 km on foot along a narrow and rocky path, constantly climbing up. Along the way, tourists can meet a variety of weather - rain, fog and piercing cold wind. With such weather conditions it is very easy to get off track or get lost, lagging behind the group. Therefore, for security purposes, you should always carry a map, a compass and a minimum supply of provisions with you - mobile connection in the mountains can fail.
In England one of the most placed places for sports recreation counts Mountain peak Scafell Pike. Its height reaches 978 meters above sea level, and the mountain itself is located on the territory of the beautiful Lake District National Park. After conquering Scofel, tourists can admire the unique landscapes of the Lake District, get acquainted with the historical and cultural region of Cumbria and even visit the neighboring Cumberland Mountains.
The mountains of Great Britain annually receive a huge number of tourists from all over the world who wish to conquer the local peaks for their own interest or as part of sports. There are several ways to do this specifically. mountain trails— separate routes for amateurs and professionals.
The highest peak in the UK is not so great - its height is 1344 meters. But this highest point Perhaps that is why she obeyed people, as the facts say, even in cars and with a piano on her shoulders. But many climbers are familiar with its harsh nature. Only one wrong step in the midst of pitch fog and snow can cost a person the most precious thing - life.
Where is Ben Nevis located? About this, about its features, the history of these places and many other curious facts will be discussed in the article.
Location
The mountain is located at the tip of the Grampian Mountains (west, Highland region), which are part of the Highlands of the North of Scotland. Near it is a famous tourist and shopping mall- Fort William. The Fort was founded in the 17th century, for 10 years it was the only civilized area in this rather harsh region, isolated from the rest of the world. This is the shore of Loch Linne.
The close location to Fort William, relatively small height by international standards, seemingly easy path at first glance are the reasons for the desire of tens of thousands of tourists to conquer this amazing peak.
About the purpose of the mountain
The mountain called Ben Nevis (or simply Ben) serves almost exclusively for climbers to climb it. True, earlier (from 1883 to 1904) it was a place for scientific meteorological research. In those days, the observatory of the Meteorological Society of Scotland was located on its top, and there was also a hotel for tourists. The remaining ruins from the observatory are one of today's landmarks in the area. Thanks to the work of the observatory, weather information for the whole of Great Britain was previously determined.
Many travel agencies and now they add this route to the list of the main excursions in magnificent Scotland. mountain tourism in the tourism industry of this country, and indeed in the world, it occupies 15-20% of the total market.
Mount Ben Nevis is the most ideal option for a beginner climber, because, despite its low height by world tourist standards, the mountain is the highest in this country. In addition, this route was laid out a long time ago for ponies carrying cargo to the very top, so it is well established and not very dangerous.
However, it is not as simple as it seems to many at first glance. In any case, serious preparation is required, appropriate instruction, the availability of diagrams, maps, etc. Statistics show that out of approximately 200,000 climbing attempts in one year, about half remain incomplete. And every year several people die here.
From the history
The very first summit was made by the Edinburgh botanist James Robertson in 1771. He collected here unique samples of diverse vegetation, which Ben Nevis is rich in.
The mountain in Scotland was also visited by the great poet, Englishman John Keats. He climbed the mountain in 1818. Subsequently, they were written that climbing this mountain is almost the same as climbing 10 St. Paul's Cathedrals without any convenient stairs.
North of Fort William, at the foot of the mountain, is an old distillery (established 1825) that produces the popular Ben Nevis (single malt) whisky.
Then, thanks to a more thorough study of the area by geologists in 1847, the Cartographic Society confirmed that this mountain was the highest in all of Britain.
In 1894, the railroad was built at Fort William. And around the same time there were construction projects railway jagged, leading to the top. However, none of them came to fruition in the future.
About the origin of the name
What is Ben Nevis? In locals, and many guests of these places, the mountain is simply called Ben, in a friendly way. But, in fact, there is little that is friendly in this name.
According to one version, it comes from the Gaelic BeinnNibheis, where the first word means "mountain", and the second - "evil", "evil".
There is another, more romantic version. The mountain got its name from beinnneamh-bhathais, which means "mountain of the sky" or "mountain with its head in the clouds."
In conclusion, a few interesting facts
An interesting fact is that in the spring of 2006, during the garbage collection process, a very old piano was discovered at the top. This tool was raised there by the Scottish lumberjack Kenny Campbell (according to him) 35 years ago. The reason for this act is to attract money to the church parish, in which the organ was replaced by a piano. Even Kenny, in his youth, dragged both a plow and a keg of beer to the top of the mountain.
Motorcyclists and cyclists often climbed Mount Ben Nevis. The year 1911 was marked by the fact that the mountain was climbed in a Ford car (advertising company). This climb was carried out using boards and ropes and took a total of several days.
Ben Nevis ( Ben Nevis or Beinn Nibheis) rises in the Scottish Grampian Mountains at 1344 meters. Here you will meet slopes covered with thick grass, quite often interspersed with large stones and boulders.
How can you relax?
The path to this mountain is first of all held by amateurs long walks and amazing landscapes that allow you to truly feel the unity with nature.
Here you will surely be able to find something to your taste and abilities. Someone is looking forward to a long bicycle rides on quite specific routes, someone is eager to quickly get their climbing equipment and climb to the very clouds, and someone just wants to test their endurance.
It will also be quite interesting for those who have long been fond of skiing and snowboarding. They will be able to have a rich time at the nearby Nevis Range - one of 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, featured in the Harry Potter films.
Interesting Facts
- The 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" Angry Mountain».
- There is also another version of the origin of the name. The phrase " beinn n?amh-bhathais" can literally be translated as " a mountain whose top is hidden by clouds».
- On average, this mountain is covered with thick clouds for 355 days out of 365. Quite often there are violent storms, showers and thunderstorms. However, if you are lucky enough to be here in good weather, then you can admire the unique and wonderful scenery surroundings, 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 may take you about eight hours. Yes, and it will most likely 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. On this moment you will see only ruins.
- Near the mountain there are two picturesque lakes Loch Lynn and Loch Eil, where you can also admire the picturesque landscapes and have fun.
How to get there?
As a rule, their journey through the mountain begins with Fort William located nearby. Shuttle buses run from Glasgow from here buses, arrive at the local station trains with many tourists and lovers of colorful recreation. You will also have somewhere 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 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 big or small, it has its own geographical facts of national importance.
1. The highest mountain in the UK
Perhaps, let's start the story about the geographical facts of Great Britain with the most high mountain Ben Nevis. This 1343 m high mountain is part of the Grampian Mountains located in Scotland. Scotland has the highest mountain ranges In Great Britain. Of the ten highest 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. The longest river in the UK
This fact applies to the River Severn, which has double citizenship, flowing through England and Wales from its mouth on the Bristol Canal. You might be surprised to know that it is only 354 km long compared to the mighty Nile, which is the longest long river in the world with a length of 6670 km. The River Thames is the second largest with a length of 215 km.
3. The largest lake in the UK
Many people think that we will talk about the English Lake District. This is not true - the two largest lakes in the UK are actually located in the northern part of the island. Lough Neagh is the largest and in fact 3 times larger than the next largest, Lower Lough Eme. Loch Lomond is largest lake Scotland, Lake Bala in Wales, and Windermere in England. If in the list largest reservoirs turn on artificial reservoirs Great Britain, many of them will be higher than many famous lakes.
4. The highest waterfall in the UK
In the UK you will not find amazing geographical facts, but there is one relatively interesting one. Title of the high waterfall Great Britain belongs to the Scottish waterfall Is Chual Aluinn (Eas a’ Chual Aluinn) and translates as “beautiful braids 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 the UK
I tried to find the gorges worth paying attention to, but it is very difficult to do this, because mountainous areas Great Britain is far from American canyons. However, there are plenty of 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 the UK belongs to Ogof Ffynnon Ddu in Wales, which consists of a network of passages 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 - Nana's Cave (Cnoc nan Uamh) (83 m), and the deepest deep cave on the North Island - Reyford Pot (193 m).
7. The coldest place in the UK
Great Britain is world famous for its humid and cold climate. Summer is almost never here. Many places in the UK have temperatures below freezing in winter period, but there is one small village in the highlands of Scotland that is known as the coldest place in the UK. This village is called Altnaharra and is permanently buried under the snow, and recorded here low temperatures reach the values of the South Pole.
8. The largest port in the UK
You've probably never heard of a place called Poole, a lively seaside town on south coast England. This town has the largest port in the UK, but surprisingly, it is the second largest natural harbor in the world after Sydney Harbour. Unfortunately Poole lacks the grandeur of Sydney and has nothing to rival the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Opera House.
9. The longest beach in the UK
The longest beach in the UK is Chesil Beach, which is 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 fleet. 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 area in Europe.
10. UK national parks
There are currently 15 national parks in the United Kingdom. One of them is located in Northern Ireland, England has the lion's share - ten parks, Scotland boasts three, and Wales two. National parks in the UK are not like everywhere else. National parks in other countries are generally government controlled and do not have a permanent population. In the UK they are locally managed and regulated by the National Parks Authority. The UK also has areas of the countryside that are classified as areas of exclusive natural beauty. National parks include Cairngorms (the largest), Snowdonia, Lake District and Peak District.
