Malham Cove, Yorkshire Dales National Park, UK
by Noel Jenkins
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Panoramic photo by
Noel Jenkins
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Malham Cove, Yorkshire Dales National Park, UKThe World > Europe > UK > England |
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The impressive 80m high walls at Malham Cove were formed at the end of the last ice age from glacial meltwater. It is a popular tourist "honeypot", and the cliff itself is home to some of Britain's finest and hardest rock climbs. The spherical panorama reveals the extent to which the cliffs curve around to form a "cove" - this impression is not immediately obvious when first visiting (until you lie on your back!)
A view from the top of Malham Cove, Yorkshire Dales National Park. Enthusiasts of karst landscapes wi...
A Dry Valley is one that does not have a river or stream flowing through it. They are usually found i...
The valley was cut by floodwater during a time when underground water remained frozen for much of the...
Gordale Scar is a magnificent gorge with overhanging walls that gradually narrow to the north where a...
The 50 metre gorge has been eroded over the millenia by the torrents of water that came down here. Vi...
A wonderful evocation of the English summer. Here is a glorious display of wild flowers on the banks ...
These fantastic patterns look like a miniaturised mountain ranges and gorges from another land. They ...
Gaping Gill Main Chamber. One of the largest known underground chambers in the UK. Lies on the platea...
The Ribblehead Viaduct crosses the Cumbria and North Yorkshire Moors at the head of the River Ribble....
The Ribblehead Viaduct crosses the Cumbria and North Yorkshire Moors at the head of the River Ribble....
Europe is generally agreed to be the birthplace of western culture, including such legendary innovations as the democratic nation-state, football and tomato sauce.
The word Europe comes from the Greek goddess Europa, who was kidnapped by Zeus and plunked down on the island of Crete. Europa gradually changed from referring to mainland Greece until it extended finally to include Norway and Russia.
Don't be confused that Europe is called a continent without looking like an island, the way the other continents do. It's okay. The Ural mountains have steadily been there to divide Europe from Asia for the last 250 million years. Russia technically inhabits "Eurasia".
Europe is presently uniting into one political and economic zone with a common currency called the Euro. The European Union originated in 1993 and is now composed of 27 member states. Its headquarters is in Brussels, Belgium.
Do not confuse the EU with the Council of Europe, which has 47 member states and dates to 1949. These two bodies share the same flag, national anthem, and mission of integrating Europe. The headquarters of the Council are located in Strasbourg, France, and it is most famous for its European Court of Human Rights.
In spite of these two bodies, there is still no single Constitution or set of laws applying to all the countries of Europe. Debate rages over the role of the EU in regards to national sovereignty. As of January 2009, the Lisbon Treaty is the closest thing to a European Constitution, yet it has not been approved by all the EU states.
Text by Steve Smith.
