The UK Geology Map
The rocks beneath your feet decide whether you get mountains or gentle hills. Read the UK by its geology and see why the north and west are rugged uplands.
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The UK Geology Map 🗺️
Why is Scotland mountainous while south-east England is gently rolling? The answer lies in the **rock beneath the surface**. The UK is a patchwork of different rock types, and each one shapes the landscape above it. Learn to read the country by its **geology**.
Three kinds of rock 🪨
All rock falls into three groups, formed in different ways: - **Sedimentary** (such as chalk and sandstone): layers of sediment squashed over time. Often **softer**. - **Igneous** (such as granite and basalt): molten magma or lava that cooled and hardened. **Hard**. - **Metamorphic** (such as slate and schist): existing rock changed by heat and pressure. Also **hard**.
Match each rock type to how it forms
- Sedimentary
- Igneous
- Metamorphic
- Layers of sediment squashed together over time
- Molten magma or lava that cooled and hardened
- Existing rock changed by heat and pressure
Rock shapes the land ⛰️
The key idea for the exam is that **rock type controls the landscape**: - **Hard igneous and metamorphic rocks** resist erosion, so they stand up as the rugged **uplands** of the **north and west** (Scotland, northern England, Wales). - **Softer sedimentary rocks** wear down more easily, forming the gentle **lowlands** of the **south and east**.
Label the UK map
An interactive activity.
Find the uplands
An interactive activity.
What makes an upland?
Which rocks tend to form the UK's rugged UPLANDS in the north and west?
- Hard igneous and metamorphic rocks
- Soft sedimentary rocks
- Only chalk
- Loose sand
Hard rocks only
Select ALL THREE rocks that are HARD and help form upland landscapes.
- Granite
- Basalt
- Slate
- Chalk
- Sandstone
- Clay
Shaped over time 🧊
Geology sets the stage, but other processes finish the job. During the ice ages, **glacial erosion and deposition** carved and smoothed the uplands. **Weathering** and post-glacial **rivers** wore down slopes and cut valleys. On top of all this, **human activity**, farming, forestry and settlement, has reshaped the landscape for thousands of years.
Geology summary
The UK's hard _____ and metamorphic rocks form the rugged _____ of the north and west, while softer _____ rocks form the gentle _____ of the south and east.