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Устная практика- задания (Меркулова) / World around us / Physical Geography –Student’s Book (2013-2014) - Kharkiv.docx
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British Mountains

The UK landscape is extremely varied, ranging from the Grampian Mountains [ˈgrampɪən] of Scotland to the lowland fens of England, which are at or below sea level in places.

Scotland and Wales are the most mountainous parts of the UK. A ridge of hills, the Pennine Chain ['penaɪn], which is often called the backbone of England, runs down the centre of northern England. Many coastal areas are low-lying, especially in the east and south of England. These include the wetlands of the Somerset levels that are regularly flooded during heavy rain.

Most of the UK is made up of gently rolling hills with isolated areas of high ground such as Dartmoor['dɑːtmɔː], an area ofmoorlandin southDevon, a county in the south-west of England, or the Mourne Mountains [mɔːn] in Northern Ireland.

Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. Standing at 1,344 metres (4,409 ft) above sea level, it is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Scottish Highlands, close to the town of Fort William.

There are several translations of the mountain’s name. One of them is a ‘malicious’ or ‘venomous mountain’, other translations are "the mountain with its head in the clouds" and the "mountain of Heaven".

 Ben Navis is listed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of its geology, natural and cultural history. The challenge of reaching the summit of Ben Nevis is what draws many people to its rock and cliffs. Even though many thousands of people reach the summit of Ben Nevis every year, it is still a very difficult mountain to navigate on in bad visibility and should not be attempted lightly. The temperature on the summit is 9° colder than it is at sea level, and bad weather can blow in with startling rapidity.

Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales, at an altitude of 1,085 metres (3,560 ft) above sea level. It is the highest point in the British Isles outside Scotland. It is located in Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, and has been described as "probably the busiest mountain in Britain" because thousands of tourists visit it every year. It is recognised as a national nature reserve for its rare flora and fauna.

Snowdon boasts some of the best views in Britain, and the summit can be reached by a number of well-known paths. The summit can also be reached on the Snowdon Mountain Railway, opened in 1896 to the summit station.

The name Snowdon comes from the Old English word for "snow hill", while its Welsh name – Yr Wyddfa – means "the tumulus" (могильный холм, курган), which may refer to the pile of huge rocks thrown over the body of the legendary giant Rhitta Gawr after he was defeated by King Arthur. The local folklore also treasures many other Arthurian legends and tales about water monsters and fairies.

The Snowdon Massif includes a number of spectacular cliffs, and holds an important place in the history of rock climbing in the United Kingdom.