Hanging Valley - GCSE Geography Definition

A hanging valley is a landform often found in mountainous areas and is created by the process of glaciation. It is a small side valley that sits above the level of the main valley. During the Ice Age, glaciers carved out deep U-shaped valleys as they moved through the land. However, smaller glaciers feeding into these large glaciers would form higher side valleys that did not erode as deeply. When the ice melted, these side valleys were left 'hanging' high above the main valley floor, sometimes creating waterfalls as streams flow from the hanging valley down to the main valley below. Hanging valleys are visible evidence of how powerful and transformative glaciers can be in shaping the landscape.