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UK Physical Landscapes » UK Uplands, Lowlands and Rivers

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

AQA spec: 3.1.3.1

The UK has a range of diverse landscapes
Where the major upland and lowland areas are
Where the main river systems of the UK are
How to describe the pattern on a map

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A diverse landscape

The UK's uplands are mostly in the north and west, the lowlands in the south and east

The UK is a small country, but its landscapes are very varied. In a single day you could travel from a wild, rocky mountain to a flat field of wheat, or from a deep valley to a sandy beach. This is what the AQA spec means when it says the UK has a range of diverse landscapes.

In this lesson you get the big picture: where the high ground is, where the low ground is, and where the main rivers flow. Later lessons explain how the landforms were made.

Key terms:

Upland: an area of high ground, with hills or mountains, steep slopes and often thin soil.
Lowland: an area of low, flatter ground, usually with deeper soil.
River system: a main river together with all the smaller rivers (tributaries) that flow into it.

The big pattern

A simple rule works well for the UK: the north and west are mostly upland, and the south and east are mostly lowland.

⛰ North and west

Higher, rockier and wetter. Think Scotland, northern England, Wales and the south west peninsula. Rocks here are generally older and harder.

🌾 South and east

Lower, flatter and drier. Think East Anglia, the Midlands plain and south east England. Rocks here are generally younger and softer.

There are exceptions, which is why you need to learn the named areas below.

Major upland areas

You should be able to place these on a blank map of the UK.

Scottish Highlands: the biggest upland area in the UK, in northern Scotland. It includes Ben Nevis (1,345 m), the highest mountain in the UK, and the Cairngorms.
Southern Uplands: hills in southern Scotland, along the border with England.
Cheviot Hills: on the Scotland and England border.
Lake District: in north west England. Scafell Pike (978 m) is the highest mountain in England.
Pennines: the long chain of hills that forms the "backbone" of northern England.
North York Moors and Peak District: upland areas in northern and central England.
Snowdonia: in north Wales. Snowdon (1,085 m) is the highest mountain in Wales.
Cambrian Mountains and Brecon Beacons: central and south Wales.
Dartmoor and Exmoor: the main uplands of south west England.

Major lowland areas

Lowland areas like East Anglia are flat and good for farming

Central Lowlands of Scotland: between the Highlands and the Southern Uplands, around Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Vale of York and the Humber lowlands: flat land in Yorkshire and the Humber area, in northern England.
The Midlands plain and the Cheshire plain: low-lying land in central and north west England.
East Anglia and the Fens: very flat land in eastern England, close to sea level in places.
The Thames Valley and London Basin: low land in south east England, around London.
Northern Ireland: the Mourne Mountains and the Antrim uplands are high, while the low land around Lough Neagh is the main lowland.

Why it matters

Lowlands are easier to build on and farm, so most of the UK's big cities and arable (crop) farmland are found there. Uplands are better for grazing sheep, forestry, reservoirs and tourism.

Main river systems

Rivers usually begin in the uplands, where rain falls heavily, and flow downhill across the lowlands to the sea.

🌊 England and Wales

River Severn: the longest river in the UK, about 354 km. It flows from the mountains of Wales through western England to the Bristol Channel.

River Thames: about 346 km. It flows east through Oxford and London to the North Sea.

River Trent: flows north east through the Midlands to join the Ouse and form the Humber estuary, where the river meets the sea.

🌊 More English rivers

River Mersey: flows west to the Irish Sea near Liverpool.

River Tyne and River Tees: flow east from the Pennines to the North Sea.

River Great Ouse: flows across the flat Fens to the North Sea.

River Bann (Northern Ireland): flows through Lough Neagh to the north coast.

🌊 Scotland

River Clyde: flows through Glasgow to the west coast.

River Forth: flows east through the Central Lowlands to the North Sea.

River Tay: the longest river in Scotland, flowing east to the North Sea.

🌊 Pattern to spot

Rivers in the east mostly flow to the North Sea. Rivers in the west flow to the Irish Sea, the Atlantic or the Bristol Channel. The higher land in the west pushes many rivers east.

Describing a map pattern

Exam questions often show a relief map of the UK and ask you to describe it. Use a simple method:

Pattern: say which part is high and which part is low.
Names: name at least two places, such as the Pennines or East Anglia.
Data: use any height or distance figures on the map.

Common mistakes

Saying that the UK is all hilly or all flat. Always describe both. Another mistake is placing the Lake District in Wales, or putting the Pennines in the south. Learn the compass position of each area.

Exam-style question

Study a relief map of the UK.

(a) Name one upland area in England and one lowland area in England. [2 marks]

(b) Describe the pattern of upland and lowland areas in the UK. [2 marks]

Model answer

(a) Upland: the Pennines or the Lake District (1). Lowland: East Anglia or the Fens (1).

(b) The highest land is in the north and west, such as the Scottish Highlands and Snowdonia (1). The lowest land is in the south and east, such as East Anglia and the London Basin (1).

Exam tip

In part (b), name places from both the north and west, and the south and east. A pattern needs both sides to score both marks.

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