Which landmarks and places of interest are in the Life in the UK handbook?

Which landmarks and places of interest are in the Life in the UK handbook?

Nine landmarks get a short description, and there are also facts about national parks and the National Trust. Sort the nine by nation and you will have a map in your head.

For each landmark, a few facts are enough: where it is, what it is, and one number or name.

Which landmarks are in England?

Big Ben is the nickname of the great bell in the clock at the Houses of Parliament. People also use the name for the clock. The clock is over 150 years old. The clock tower is called the Elizabeth Tower, in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

The London Eye is a Ferris wheel on the south bank of the River Thames, 443 feet (135 metres) tall. It was built to mark the new millennium and is part of New Year celebrations.

The Tower of London was first built by William the Conqueror after he became king in 1066. The Yeoman Warders, also called Beefeaters, give tours, and visitors can see the Crown Jewels.

The Eden Project is in Cornwall, in the south west. Its biomes are like giant greenhouses with plants from all over the world. It is also a charity.

The Lake District is England's largest national park, at 912 square miles. It is known for lakes and mountains. Windermere is the biggest stretch of water, and in 2007 television viewers voted Wastwater Britain's favourite view.

Which landmarks are in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Edinburgh Castle stands on the skyline of Edinburgh. Its history goes back to the early Middle Ages, and Historic Environment Scotland looks after it.

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park covers 720 square miles in the west of Scotland. Loch Lomond is the largest expanse of fresh water in mainland Britain.

Snowdonia is a national park in North Wales that covers 823 square miles. Snowdon, its most famous peak, is the highest mountain in Wales.

The Giant's Causeway is on the north east coast of Northern Ireland. Its columns of volcanic lava formed about 50 million years ago, and there are many legends about it.

What else should you know about the countryside?

There are 15 national parks in England, Wales and Scotland. They are areas of protected countryside that everyone can visit, and people live and work in them. The UK also has many public footpaths.

The National Trust looks after buildings, coast and countryside in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The National Trust for Scotland does the same in Scotland. Both are charities. The National Trust was founded in 1895 by three volunteers.

Famous gardens are named too. Kew Gardens, Sissinghurst and Hidcote are in England, Crathes Castle and Inveraray Castle in Scotland, Bodnant Garden in Wales and Mount Stewart in Northern Ireland. Each nation has a flower: the rose for England, the thistle for Scotland, the daffodil for Wales and the shamrock for Northern Ireland.

How can you remember the numbers?

Make a table with one row per landmark. In the first column write the nation. In the second, write the one fact with a number, such as 443 feet, 912 square miles, 720, 823, 1066 and 50 million years.

Watch for pairs that sound alike. Windermere is a lake in England, and Loch Lomond is in Scotland. Snowdonia has the highest mountain in Wales, and the Lake District is the largest park in England. The two parks are not the same size: 912 square miles is England's figure, 823 is the Welsh one.

A story helps too. Picture a trip that starts at the Tower of London, goes up the Thames to Big Ben and the London Eye, then travels north and west to the lakes, lochs, mountains and the coast.

For the nations behind these places, read UK nations and capitals and sport. The whole topic is on the modern society chapter page, and the free practice test shows what you know.

Check yourself

Name the nation for each of these: Eden Project, Edinburgh Castle, Snowdonia, Giant's Causeway, Loch Lomond.

Write the size or height figure for three landmarks, then check them against your notes.

Find the two landmarks that have a link to a king or a queen, and explain each link.