Pennines
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Pennines are a mountain range in England. Often said to be the "backbone of England", they form an unbroken range stretching from the Peak District in the Midlands, through the Yorkshire Dales, parts of Greater Manchester, the West Pennine Moors of Lancashire and Cumbrian Fells to the Cheviot Hills on the Scottish border. Their total length is about 250 miles (400 km).
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[edit] Etymology
The name Pennines is believed to be derived from the Celtic pennioroches, meaning "hill", although the earliest written reference to the name dates only from the 18th century. The diffusion of the name is arguably influenced by the name of the Apennine Mountains of Italy, whose acquaintance many English gentry made on the Grand Tour at the same period and whose name is attributed to the same Celtic linguistic root.
[edit] Altitude and size
The mountains themselves are not very sizeable (and are often referred to as hills for this reason), the highest being Cross Fell in eastern Cumbria, at 893 metres (2930 feet). Other principal peaks include Mickle Fell (788 m/2,585 ft) Whernside (736 m/2,415 ft), Ingleborough (723 m/2,372 ft), Pen-y-ghent (693 m/2,274 ft), and Kinder Scout (636 m/2,087 ft).
[edit] Geology and landscape
The geology of the Pennines is dominated by extensive deposits of gritstone and limestone, which in the North Pennines has led to the formation of large underground cave systems and watercourses — known as "gills" and "pots" in the Yorkshire dialect — which are prevalent on the eastern side. Some of these are amongst the largest in England; notable examples are the chasms of Gaping Gill (over 107 m/350 ft deep) and Rowten Pot (111 m/365 ft deep). The presence of limestone has also led to some unusual geological formations in the region, such as the limestone pavements of the Yorkshire Pennines.
The landscape of the Pennines is in general constituted by upland areas of high moorland indented by the more fertile valleys of the region's various rivers. It is a relatively sparsely populated region by English standards. The main economic activities include sheep farming, quarrying and tourism. The region is widely considered to be one of the most scenic areas of Britain. The North Pennines have been declared an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), while portions of the Pennines are incorporated into the Peak District National Park, the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Northumberland National Park. Britain's first long distance footpath, the Pennine Way, runs the full length of the Pennine chain.
[edit] Water divides
The Pennines constitute the main watershed in northern England, dividing the eastern and western parts of the country. The rivers Eden, Ribble, and Mersey all rise in the Pennines and flow westwards towards the Irish Sea. On the other side of the watershed, the rivers Tyne, Tees, Swale, Calder, Aire, Don, and Trent also rise in the region but flow eastwards to the North Sea.
[edit] Inhabitance
Not much is known about the Pennines' inhabitance in Anglo-Saxon times apart from the pecsaetan who inhabited the Peak District area, and bronze-age settlements at Anglezarke.
