Is the beautiful scenery of England unique or common in North Western Europe?
Posted by ZexMurphy@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 39 comments
Hi All,
Australian here, never had the chance to visit Europe.
Ever since I was a kid I always appreciated the beautiful green hills, willows, hedgerows and just the general look of the English countryside.
Im curious in that when I see scenery of France and Germany and other parts of mainland North Western Europe it doesn't look quite the same.
Am I just not seeing a wider range of scenery from those countries or does England have a unique looking countryside?
Thanks
Critical_Pin@reddit
Depends on which bit of England. It varies and some of it is very similar to Northern Europe for example the Atlantic coast of Portugal is very similar to the coast of North Cornwall , the Fens are very similar to the Netherlands ..
pooey_canoe@reddit
Funny you say that as I felt parts of Tasmania had rolling green hills very similar to the UK
-CJJC-@reddit
I think the British Isles have quite a unique countryside. I can generally tell where in Europe a countryside photo is, but I’d struggle go tell you how I can tell.
Tuscany has some really beautiful countryside that’s worth checking out.
Educational-Mine-186@reddit
Yeah spot on. I took a train through Germany (Munich to Fussen) and I was looking out the window, and couldn't figure out what was different. But it was different. The fields looked very German, and I couldn't put my finger on what it was, despite trying for about half an hour.
emkay123@reddit
One thing is that German fields are generally all open, no hedges, fences, or dry stone walls.
2-StandardDeviations@reddit
Go to Ireland. You will realize what allotments mean! That wonderful checkerboard aerial view tells you how landlords ran the Isles.
VodkaMargarine@reddit
Hills and hedges. The British countryside is absolutely full of narrow winding roads lined with hedges. Fields are smaller and again they often have hedges instead of walls or fences. Pretty much all fields in the UK are closed in with either dry stone walls or the good old hedge. They also often have sheep grazing which feels very British.
There's also a lot more old stone sheds and buildings and things because it wasn't flattened by two world wars.
But mainly the hedges.
coffeewalnut05@reddit
Ireland is very similar to us. Netherlands, Belgium and northern France have similar greenery.
But overall I’d say it’s only Ireland that is actually similar to us not only with the greenery but also hills, valleys, moors, nature of the coastline, etc.
Right_Emergency_1065@reddit
As you are probably aware, around 10,000 years ago, all the European countries were connected. What is now Wales and part of the northwest coast of England was part of the same landmass as Ireland, as well as Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk, which were connected to Belgium and the Netherlands. So this is an attempt to explain why large parts of Northern Europe look the same in certain areas.
billsmithers2@reddit
I think the climate is more important. I guess the previous connection might make some species consistent, but ultimately, Britain and Ireland are luscious green because of the weather.
summinspicy@reddit
The geology as well, we are on the edge of the continental shelf and so over geological time, this bit of land has taken batterings, been split apart, been sunk, reemerged, and been folded up by mountain vuilding elsewhere.
KlingonWarNog@reddit
I think even Scotland and England initially were each if two independent land masses many hundreds of millions of years ago which came together , explaining the distinct geological zones we have in the UK, from the Chalk of the South to the Lewisian Gneiss of the far North West of Scotland, so e of the oldest rocks on the planet.
Antique_Ad4497@reddit
Yeah some of Scotland’s rock is an exact match to the North American Continental rock.
Sepa-Kingdom@reddit
Yes, I’ve read that too. Fascinating stuff
CranberryWizard@reddit
To kinda sorta answer your question: I've spent some time in Northern Spain, Asturias to be precise, and because it's on the Atlantic coast I see a lot of similarities with northern Europe coutryside but with Spanish culture.
I'm surprised there's very few expats there for.thst reason but they insist on settling in the south for some reason
I-am-Chubbasaurus@reddit
English countryside is very... tamed? You need to go to Scotland and Scandinavia for the more wild and rugged.
Em97x@reddit
The Lake District is the most beautiful place in England and so many people go up there for a break away from the city life. Search it up, absolutely gorgeous.
i_sesh_better@reddit
Reading this as I’m here now! With legs that feel like they’ll fall off after a killer hike.
KnowledgeSea1954@reddit
It will look different because most of Europe has a different climate to England. But it will still be fields, trees and shrubs etc.
BigBunneh@reddit
Ubiquitos hedgerows are pretty unique I think, from what I've seen (never been to Scandinavia or much of Eastern Europe). As an earlier poster pointed out, the bocage of Normandy is very similar and, to be honest, it felt as close to the UK in looks as anywhere else I've been. Belgium and France, in the north where plant species are similar, seem to prefer fencing (especially wire and concrete posts) over dry walls and wooden post and rail fencing. Our field patterns tend to still follow the old enclosure boundaries, which in turn often followed the old ridge and furrow field system with curved boundaries. Again, for some reason, in West Europe, more angular field structures seem to have become the norm. Personally I'd like to know why.
Sparkle_croissant@reddit
History. Much more of mainland Western Europe got bombed/ destroyed during the twentieth century
Saathael95@reddit
Certain landscapes in the UK are quite unique. I’ve never come across pasture fields bordered by drystone walls with those dark, upland moors and heaths in the distance (think peak district, Lake District, Brecon beacons, Scottish lowlands etc).
But I’ve certainly had a long weekend in the south west/welsh borders in the summer and felt it was very close to southern France.
I’d say that the species of trees are the biggest give aways when comparing say the Cotswolds to Tuscany or Provence, we just don’t have that many poplars or vineyards (though I used to live by a long avenue of poplars that on a summers day could be mistaken for France)
Old_Introduction_395@reddit
Some bits of northern Portugal have dry stone walls and upland, barren spaces. It reminded us of Derbyshire.
RareBrit@reddit
The geology of the UK is incredibly varied. Geology dominates the shape of the landscape and the use it is put to. So there’s no one defining landscape of the UK. However, where there is a similar geology the landscape tends to look similar. The Somme in France feels very familiar to me as I grew up in the South-East of England.
HoraceorDoris@reddit
It’s unique in that there are several different tree species that are more prevalent in the UK. Our weather, as shit as it can be, doesn’t have the extremes of heat/cold experienced in Europe
Boldboy72@reddit
The most striking thing about Netherlands is how flat it is. It's very beautiful but you won't see a hill.. Europe is full of beauty, the Black Forest in Germany, The French / Italian / Austrian / Swiss Alps.
farraigemeansthesea@reddit
France is amazing (I'm saying this as a Brit born and bred in the South-East of England who adores the Scottish Highlands and Ireland's west coast). You have huge areas of unspoilt natural beauty with hills, lakes, and forests. It is very different to England, which is so much more built up unless you're down the West Country or in the Pennines. Many more forests too, but hedgerows tend to border cultivated fields or people's properties. You don't get the same patchwork quilt effect here.
Educational-Mine-186@reddit
This has piqued my interest, as a keen hiker who tends to hike in Wales/Scotland/England. Where in France is unspoiled? Bonus points if it's in the northern bit and therefore a little easier to get to.
farraigemeansthesea@reddit
This map gives an idea of population density. Where I live, we have only 28 people per square kilometre (ad opposed to 880 ppl by km2 back where I come from in the UK). By far, the most intact areas are in Central France, like Creuse, which benefit from the added beauty of the mountai range known as the Massif Central.
https://images.app.goo.gl/zEK1hMvxMM5Foygg8
Educational-Mine-186@reddit
Very helpful, thank you.
Bitchcraft0407@reddit
It's not just England! Wales also has some very beautiful scenery. I live just a 30 min walk from mountains and wild life parks.
And for the Americans reading, Wales is not a part of England. That's the equivalent to saying America is just south Canada.
mackerel_slapper@reddit
Parts of N France are not dissimilar on the green fields and rolling landscape front. I suppose it’s all down to history - farming habits, enclosure laws etc etc and parts of France were England in the past. We had a few kings who only spoke French.
It’s not Europe but Prince Edward Island, Canada, is really similar - they grow potatoes and have dairy cows so it was similar to where I live (Cheshire).
stevekeiretsu@reddit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bocage
fancy word for land use with lots of pasture/grazing broken up with hedges, small copses etc.
Is english countryside unique? hmmm... yes and no, imo. I dont believe anyone could really tell the difference between english countryside and the immediately neighbouring bits of wales and scotland, if we're going there. if we quietly assume you meant gb... ireland can be pretty damn indistinguishable on a biology/climate basis, and to some extent the human side (field division oatterns, architectural and infrastructure styles and materials, etc) too owing to the whole, er, occupation thing. still some differences but I feel even as a native geoguessr type distinction can be very hard in some places.
elsewhere, like france, can get pretty close but to me there's usually a more noticeable difference somehow whether it's differing species or different types of fence or something (dry stone walls are so unmistakeable).
PrestigiousRub4131@reddit
The OP is Australian, not English. There are definitely differences in the landscapes of England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. I would say that England is less mountainous than Scotland or Wales but you do have a lot of diversity; Cumbria is very different to Cornwall, for example. The former has stunning lakes and the latter has blue sea and lots of picturesque coves. Wales is great if you like hiking and climbing and is home to Mount Snowdon in the Snowdonia mountain range. Scotland and Northern England are quite mountainous and boast lots of lakes such as Loch Ness. Ben Nevis mountain in Scotland is the highest part of the U.K. and you can Ski there at certain times of year. Ireland has fabulous beaches on the Atlantic coast, great for surfing and then you have the famous Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland.
InternetMuch7272@reddit
I think it’s quite unique. I can’t remember who but someone famous said there is a specific shade of green that the UK has and that only New Zealand also has it. Something to do with being lush islands with our climates (different to lush islands in say the tropics). I have to say most of Europe I’ve seen although similar, doesn’t get to the standard of the UK. But they have different landscapes which are equally beautiful
elbapo@reddit
Fairly unique. The out of the plane window test would say- onvious reasons that ireland is fairly similar.
However also the less flat bits of northern france are pretty similar. Id also say parts of (again less flat) northern italy like umbria have a similar vibe- (dont kill me italians its north of the middle) or northern spain perhaps. However growing very different stuff and more epic landscapes.
England/great Britain has a fairly unique set of historical reasons for our wobbly drunken saxon division of land/lanes and boundaries- where its more about evolution than revolution.
In other parts of europe and also iberian either been rationalised to more sensible squares and strips by some revolution or war- or the climate is too far off.
scary_flower99@reddit
I've been to a few places in Europe. In Poland I was surprised about how much it reminded me of Dorset. Same kinda green n soft hills
rising_then_falling@reddit
As someone who has spent a lot of time in the British countryside I could certainly identify UK rural scenes over anywhere else if they contain human development (farms, villages, etc). A random bit of coast path in the UK isn't immediately different from parts of Ireland or northern Europe, though.
But the combination of UK ecosystem, UK rural development and UK architecture is pretty unique, at least if you're familiar with Europe. Possibly if you've never left Japan before, all of northern Europe looks kinda similar...
unemployedfr@reddit
Tbh the countryside is always nice I live in a seaside town and its honestly a bit shit