12. The English landscape.

The British Isles consist of two main islands : Great Britain and Ireland . These and over five hundred small islands are known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland . Their total area is some 94,250 square miles . Great Britain comprises England , Wales and Scotland .Britain is comparatively small , but there is hardly a country in the world where such a variety of scenery can be found in so small a compass . Within a few miles of Manchester and Sheffield you can be in heather –covered moors. The British Isles were part of the mainland of Europe – the nearest point is across the Strait of Dover , where the chalk cliff of Britain are only twenty-two miles from those of France. The seas round the British Isles are shallow . The North Sea is more than 600 feet deep. This shallowness is in some ways an advantage. Shallow water is warmer then deep water. The coast line is indetented. This indentation gives a good supply of habour for ships and the shape of the country – a fact that has facilited the export of manufacture and has made the English race a sea-loving ones. In England and Wales all the highlands is in the west and north west. The south-western plain reaches the west coast only at one or two places – at the Bristol Channel and by the mouths of the rivers Dee and Mersey . In the North you find the Chaviots Separating England from Scotland the Pennines going , down England like a backbone and the Cumbrian mountains of the Like District..The south-eastern part of England is a low-lying land with chalk cliffs and inland a lovely pattern of green and gold here and brown plough-land with farm and cottages in their midst. Its rich brown soil is deeply cultivated much of it is under wheat ; fruit-growing is extensively carried on. The position of the mountains naturally determinated the direction and lenghth of the river and the longest river flow into the North Sea. The rivers of Britain are of no great value as water-ways – the longest, the Thams and few of them are navigable except near the mouth for anything but smaller vessels. In the estuaries of the Thams , Mersey , Tyne ,Clyde,Tay,Forth and Bristol Avon are some of the greatest port.

13. Different means of travel.

I am extremely fond of travelling and feel terribly evious of any friend who is going anywhere. I cant help feeling I should so much like to be in his place. There are several methods of travelling. For me there is nothing like travel by air ; it is more comfortable , more convenient and of course far quicker than any other method . There is none of the dust and dirt of a railway or car journey , none of the trouble of changing from train to steamer and then to another train . Besides , flying is a thrilling thing. Also I should to say a word for trains. With a train you have speed , comfort and pleasure combined. From the comfortable corner seat of a railway carriage you have a splendid view of the whole countryside. If you are hungry , you can have a meal in the dining-car and if the journey is a long one you can have a wonderful bed in a sleeper. Besides , do you know any place that’s more interesting than a big railway-station ? There is the movement , the excitement , the gaity of people going away or waiting to meet friends. There are the shouts of the porters as they pull laggage along the platform to the waiting trains , the crowd at the booking office getting tickets , the hungry and thirsty ones hurry to the refreshment rooms before the train starts . There are another exciting place – a big sea port . You can feel the deck under your feet , to see the rise and fall of the waves , to feel the fresh sea wind blowing in your face and hear the cry of the sea-gulls. And what excitement there is in coming into the harbour and seeing round us all the ships , steamers , cargo-ship , sailing ship , rowing boats. I am always seasick , especially when the sea is a little bit rough and heard that a good cure for seasickness is small piece of dry bread or dry land. You may say what you like about aeroplane flights , sea voyages , railway journeys or tour be car but give me a walking tour any time. The walker leaves the dull broad high away and goes along little winding lane where cars cant go . He takes mountain paths through the heather he wanders by the side of quite lakes and through the shade od woods. He sees the real country , the wild flowers , the young birds in their nests , the deer in the forest , he feels the quietness and calm of nature. You can save your railway fare. The walking is the cheapest method of travelling.