Key Terms: Glacial Landscapes in the UK (AQA GCSE Geography): Revision Note

Glaciation in the UK - key terms glossary

Freeze-thaw weathering – A weathering process where water enters cracks in rocks, freezes and expands, gradually breaking the rock apart through repeated cycles.

Glacial till – Unsorted sediment ranging from clay to boulders, deposited directly by glacial ice.

Glaciated uplands – Upland areas shaped by glaciers, often characterised by rugged mountains and U-shaped valleys (e.g. Snowdonia, Lake District, Cairngorms).

Ice sheet – A large mass of glacial ice covering over 50,000 km², such as the one that covered most of the UK during the last ice age.

Meltwater – Water from the melting of glacial ice, which contributes to erosion, transport, and deposition.

Outwash – Sorted sediment deposited by meltwater streams flowing from the glacier’s snout.

Plucking – A form of glacial erosion where rocks are pulled away from the ground or valley sides by freezing and sticking to the glacier.

Rotational slip – The circular movement of ice within a corrie due to gravity, which deepens the hollow.

Snout – The front end of a glacier, where melting and deposition often occur.

Glacial Landforms - key terms glossary

Erosional landforms

Arête – A sharp ridge formed when two glaciers erode back-to-back, e.g. Striding Edge.

Corrie (cwm/cirque) – An armchair-shaped hollow in a mountainside formed by glacial erosion and rotational slip, often containing a tarn.

Glacial trough (U-shaped valley) – A steep-sided valley with a flat bottom, carved out by glacier movement.

Hanging valley – A smaller valley left ‘hanging’ above the main U-shaped valley, often with a waterfall.

Pyramidal peak – A pointed mountain peak formed where multiple glaciers erode from different sides, e.g. Snowdon.

Ribbon lake – A long, narrow lake formed in a glacial trough, where softer rock was eroded more deeply.

Tarn – A small mountain lake found in a corrie after glacial retreat.

Truncated spur – A steep cliff-like edge where a former interlocking spur has been cut off by glacial erosion.

Depositional and transportational landforms

Drumlin – An elongated, egg-shaped hill formed of glacial till, streamlined in the direction of ice movement.

Erratic – A large rock transported and deposited far from its source area by a glacier (e.g. the Great Stone of Fourstones).

Ground moraine – Material dragged beneath the glacier and deposited across the valley floor.

Lateral moraine – A ridge of sediment deposited along the sides of a glacier.

Medial moraine – A ridge of debris running down the centre of a glacier, formed where two glaciers meet.

Terminal moraine – A ridge of material deposited at the glacier’s snout, marking its furthest advance.

Management of glacial landscapes - key terms glossary

Economic uses

Hydroelectric power (HEP) – The generation of electricity from glacial meltwater collected in reservoirs or ribbon lakes.

Quarrying – Extraction of valuable materials like slate, granite, and minerals exposed by glacial erosion.

Management challenges and solutions

Conservation conflict – Tension between conserving glacial landscapes and developing them for economic gain.

Erosion (footpaths) – Damage to trails from high tourist footfall, tackled by gravel paths, reseeding, and rerouting trails.

Fix the Fells – A project restoring damaged paths and protecting habitats in the Lake District.

Nurture Lakeland – A charity promoting sustainable tourism and conservation in glaciated areas.

Zoning – Designating specific areas for activities (e.g. water sports) to reduce environmental impact.