England topographic map

Average elevation: 138 ft

Scotland accounts for just under a third (32 per cent) of the total area of the UK, covering 78,772 square kilometres (30,410 sq mi). This includes nearly eight hundred islands, predominantly west and north of the mainland; notably the Hebrides, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands. Scotland is the most…

Average elevation: 259 ft

Glasgow itself was reputed to have been founded by the Christian missionary Saint Mungo in the 6th century. He established a church on the Molendinar Burn, where the present Glasgow Cathedral stands, and in the following years Glasgow became a religious centre. Glasgow grew over the following centuries. The…

Average elevation: 420 ft

Some have called Edinburgh the Athens of the North for a variety of reasons. The earliest comparison between the two cities showed that they had a similar topography, with the Castle Rock of Edinburgh performing a similar role to the Athenian Acropolis. Both of them had flatter, fertile agricultural land…

Average elevation: 341 ft

Average elevation: 85 ft

Lying in the eastern foothills of the Pennines, there is a significant variation in elevation within the city's built-up area. The district ranges from 1,115 feet (340 m) in the far west on the slopes of Ilkley Moor to about 33 feet (10 m) where the rivers Aire and Wharfe cross the eastern boundary. Land rises…

Average elevation: 308 ft

Average elevation: 266 ft

Much of Swansea is hilly with the main area of upland being located in the council ward of Mawr. Areas up to 185 metres (607 ft) in elevation range across the central section: Kilvey Hill, Townhill and Llwynmawr separate the centre of Swansea from its northern suburbs. Cefn Bryn, a ridge of high land, is the…

Average elevation: 240 ft

Average elevation: 180 ft

Average elevation: 358 ft

The city, like most of the UK, has a maritime climate highly influenced by the Gulf Stream. Located in the driest region of Britain, Cambridge's rainfall averages around 570 mm (22.44 in) per year, around half the national average, with some years occasionally falling into the semi-arid (under 500 mm (19.69…

Average elevation: 59 ft

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Average elevation: 210 ft

The River Plym, which flows off Dartmoor to the north-east, forms a smaller estuary to the east of the city called Cattewater. Plymouth Sound is protected from the sea by the Plymouth Breakwater, in use since 1814. In the Sound is Drake's Island which is seen from Plymouth Hoe, a flat public area on top of…

Average elevation: 266 ft

Average elevation: 292 ft

Average elevation: 249 ft

Average elevation: 69 ft

Situated in a valley through the Hampshire Downs at an average elevation of 88 metres (289 ft) Basingstoke is a major interchange between Reading, Newbury, Andover, Winchester, and Alton, and lies on the natural trade route between the southwest of England and London. The area had been something of an…

Average elevation: 358 ft

Two weather stations collect climate data for the area, Aberdeen/Dyce Airport, and Craibstone. Both are about 4 1⁄2 miles (7 km) to the north west of the city centre, and given that they are in close proximity to each other, exhibit very similar climatic regimes. Dyce tends to have marginally warmer daytime…

Average elevation: 171 ft

Mary Russell Mitford lived in Reading for a number of years and then spent the rest of her life just outside the town at Three Mile Cross and Swallowfield. The fictional Belford Regis of her eponymous novel, first published in 1835, is largely based on Reading. Described with topographical accuracy, it is…

Average elevation: 184 ft

Average elevation: 121 ft

Average elevation: 325 ft

Average elevation: 95 ft

Average elevation: 1,086 ft

As with the rest of the United Kingdom, Bedford has a maritime climate, with a limited range of temperatures, and generally even rainfall throughout the year. The nearest Met Office weather station to Bedford is Bedford (Thurleigh) airport, about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) north of Bedford town centre at an elevation…

Average elevation: 121 ft

Ashdown Forest is an ancient area of open heathland occupying the highest sandy ridge-top of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is situated 30 miles (48 km) south of London in the county East Sussex, England. Rising to an elevation of 732 feet (223 m) above sea level, its heights provide…

Average elevation: 384 ft

Average elevation: 92 ft

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Average elevation: 144 ft

Average elevation: 325 ft

Swindon has an oceanic climate (Cfb in the Köppen climate classification), like the vast majority of the British Isles, with cool winters and warm summers. The nearest official weather station is RAF Lyneham, about 10 miles (16 km) west southwest of Swindon town centre. The weather station's elevation is 145…

Average elevation: 354 ft

Average elevation: 190 ft

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Average elevation: 427 ft

Bishop of Salisbury Hubert Walter was instrumental in the negotiations with Saladin during the Third Crusade, but he spent little time in his diocese prior to his elevation to archbishop of Canterbury. The brothers Herbert and Richard Poore succeeded him and began planning the relocation of the cathedral into…

Average elevation: 315 ft

St Albans was an ancient borough created following the dissolution of the monastery in 1539. It consisted of the ancient parish of St Albans (also known as the Abbey parish) and parts of St Michael and St Peter. The municipal corporation was reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 and the boundary was…

Average elevation: 328 ft

Average elevation: 285 ft

Average elevation: 390 ft

Average elevation: 72 ft

The current town was founded in 1245 and developed as a fishing port. The name South Shields developed from the 'Schele' or 'Shield', which was a small dwelling used by fishermen. Another industry that was introduced, was that of salt-panning, later expanded upon in the 15th century, polluting the air and…

Average elevation: 75 ft

Average elevation: 390 ft

Average elevation: 256 ft

Average elevation: 56 ft

Average elevation: 144 ft

One of the most distinguishing features of Gateshead is its topography. The land rises 230 feet (70 m) from Gateshead Quays to the town centre and continues rising to a height of 525 feet (160 m) at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Sheriff Hill. This is in contrast to the flat and low lying Team Valley located on…

Average elevation: 203 ft

Average elevation: 85 ft

Average elevation: 558 ft

Average elevation: 79 ft

The name Bury is etymologically connected with borough, which has cognates in other Germanic languages such as the German burg meaning "fortress, castle"; Old Norse borg meaning "wall, castle"; and Gothic baurgs meaning "city". They all derive from Proto-Germanic *burgs meaning "fortress". This in turn derives…

Average elevation: 194 ft

Average elevation: 105 ft

The town centre is about 50 feet (15 m) above sea level on a gravel terrace rising from the River Thames. The north of the town has developed on London Clay and is situated as much as 150 ft (46 m) above sea level. A continuous gentle rise in the eastern suburbs towards Gidea Park and Harold Wood peaks around…

Average elevation: 95 ft

Average elevation: 289 ft

Average elevation: 328 ft

Average elevation: 810 ft

Several apartment developments, for instance Altitude 25 (completed 2010), have been built in recent years, and several more are being built or planned. The construction of Saffron Square, which includes a 43-storey tower, began on Wellesley Road in 2011 and was completed in 2016. Other developments with…

Average elevation: 230 ft

Average elevation: 692 ft

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Average elevation: 535 ft

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Average elevation: 361 ft

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Average elevation: 384 ft

Although largely undamaged in the First and Second World Wars, Sleaford has close links with the Royal Air Force due to its proximity to several RAF bases, including RAF Cranwell and RAF Waddington. Lincolnshire's topography—flat and open countryside—and its location on the east of the country made it…

Average elevation: 69 ft

Average elevation: 243 ft

Average elevation: 348 ft

Average elevation: 43 ft

Average elevation: 259 ft

Average elevation: 161 ft

Average elevation: 443 ft

Average elevation: 92 ft

The town centre lies just below 33 ft (10m) above sea level. South of the town centre, rising from Richmond Bridge to an elevation of 165 ft (50m), is Richmond Hill. Just beyond the summit of Richmond Hill is Richmond Park, an area of 2,360 acres (9.55 km2; 3.7 sq mi) of wild heath and woodland originally…

Average elevation: 56 ft

Average elevation: 203 ft

Average elevation: 407 ft

Average elevation: 535 ft

Average elevation: 102 ft

The base of this isolated hill is at an altitude of approximately 50 metres. Like all of the immediately surrounding area, the base of the hill, as well as the slopes of the hill up to about 70m, are on London Clay. Between about 70m and 80m is an isolated layer of sandier Claygate Beds. Both deposits are of…

Average elevation: 131 ft

Average elevation: 135 ft

Average elevation: 98 ft

Average elevation: 289 ft

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Average elevation: 240 ft

Average elevation: 243 ft