2013
Geography Department
Hutchesons’ Grammar School
1/1/2013
Geography Study Tour of Switzerland 2013
Geography Study Tour of Switzerland 2013
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Key facts about Switzerland
Switzerland (Swiss Confederation (CH)) is a landlocked country divided between the Alps,
the Swiss Plateau and the Jura, spanning an area of 41,285 km2. While the Alps occupy the
greater part of the territory, the population (approximately 8 million, an average
population density of 190/km2) is concentrated mostly on the Plateau, where the largest
cities are to be found, including two global economic centres - Zurich and Geneva. The Swiss
Confederation has a long history of armed neutrality and did not join the United Nations
until 2002. It pursues, however, an active foreign policy and is frequently involved in peace-
building processes around the world. Switzerland is also the birthplace of the Red Cross and
home to a large number of international organizations, including the UN. While part of the
Schengen Area, it is not a member of the European Union.
Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world by per capita gross domestic
product, and has the highest wealth per adult of any country in the world. Zurich and
Geneva have respectively been ranked as the cities with the second and eighth highest
quality of life in the world. Despite its small size, it is one of the world's top 20 economies.
Jura Mts: fold mountains-hiking, ski-ing, mountain biking
Swiss Plateau
Most densely populated area Main cities (Bern, Zurich, Geneva) Intensive farming & meadows Organised field pattern; small, geometric strips Engineering; Finance; Service sector, pharmaceuticals and Agricultural products all important
Alpine region
Fold Mountains, formed by plate movements Glaciated; classic features, eg pyramidal peaks, arêtes Glaciers still active but retreating (climate change) Many peaks > 4000m (Ben Nevis: 1344m) Form major watershed, separating northern and southern Europe; climatic and vegetation contrasts Extensive farming; Seasonal movement of livestock (Transhumance) Many major North-South routes run through Alps, Massive engineering projects-tunnels, bridges
Leysin region
Tourism Formerly health spa
CERN Particle accelerator
Geography Study Tour of Switzerland 2013
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Typical Alpine Environment
(Source: SQA specimen exam paper)
On our coach trips, we shall cross between the Alpine and Plateau regions. We’ll see steep
mountains and broad flat valley floors, like the landscape above. Note that space for
development is limited but used very efficiently, with road and rail links, farms, villages and
factories crammed on to the valley floors.
You can see how flooding, rock falls and avalanches are an ever present danger in such a
dynamic, high energy environment.
Lakes
Switzerland has 6 % of Europe's stock of fresh water. The Rhine, Rhone and Inn all take their
source here, although their waters flow into three seas: the North Sea, the Mediterranean
and the Black Sea. The Rhine Falls, a few kilometres downstream of Schaffhausen, are the
largest in Europe. They are 150 m wide and 23 m high. In addition, Switzerland has over
1,500 lakes. The two largest are Lakes Geneva and Constance. Lake Geneva is shared with
France, which lies on the course of the Rhone, is the largest freshwater lake in central
Europe.
Peak or “horn”
Hanging Valley Summer pasture on
alpine meadow
Agriculture on fertile alluvial flood plains
(cereals, orchard fruits, vegetables; note
geometric field pattern
River provides
irrigation in hot
summers
Woodland is
important:
Why?
Embanked and straightened
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Skill Section: Taking Photographs.
We shall be running a photography competition during the trip. We want you to look at the
landscape and compose photos that you think represent three themes:
“Scenery” “Tourism” “Farms and Factories”
We want to display your images, and there will be a prize for the “best photograph” for each
theme. You can submit three photos, one on each theme.
There are many, many guides about what makes a good photograph.1 Very simply, think
about:
The quality of the camera is less important than the skill and insight of the
photographer. A good eye and an ability to read the landscape are vital skills which
we aim to encourage and develop.
Why are you taking the picture? What’s the geography “angle”?
Think about composition; what are the points of interest?
Follow the “rule of thirds”. This is to discourage placement of the subject at the centre, or
to prevent a horizon from appearing to divide the picture in half.
(Photo credit: N Pieri, “Switzerland in black and white”)
Notice how the church spire is offset, slightly to the right. The fence in the foreground and the
mountain ridge in the background follow the horizontal grid lines. The photo is divided into three
distinct “zones”.
1 See http://digital-photography-school.com http://photography.nationalgeographic.co.uk/photography/photo-tips/macro-photo-tips
Our eyes tend
to go to the
intersection,
not the centre
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The Scottish Association of Geography Teachers has an excellent and ever growing Flickr site
devoted to geographical images. You can get some good ideas by browsing some of the
categories. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sagt )
Cantons
Switzerland is a Federal state, comprising strongly independent cantons. They have many of
the same powers as states in the USA, with their own governments, etc. Look out for the
cantonal flags which fly every where. Also, look for the distinctive VD number plates.
Leysin
Leysin is a town in the Aigle district of canton Vaud. Located in the Bernese Alps, it is a
sunny alpine resort village at the eastern end of Lake Geneva near Montreux, Lausanne and
Geneva. Previously Leysin was known as a health spa for tuberculosis. Today its spectacular
Alpine views across the Rhône Valley invite year-round mountain sports and recreation.
Leysin and hamlet of Veyges are Swiss Heritage Sites
Population of Leysin
Q. What has happened to the population of Leysin since 1900? Why?
Q What are the site, situation and function of Leysin? Complete the table.
Site Actual land that the settlement is built on
Situation Area of land that surrounds a settlement; the local context
Function The reason(s) for the settlement’s existence; what people earn their money from
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Regional Context; please view this page as landscape
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Sketch Drawing
We’ll choose a point in the village where you can draw a sketch. You need to annotate the
sketch. This means you should add arrows to identify AND describe features, relating to site,
situation and function. This sketch is labelled to identify features. Add annotated arrows to
provide more detail. (Always avoid arrows that cut across the sketch or overlap each other.)
Use the frame to draw a sketch. The grid lines should help you to compose it.
exposed, wet, slopes with
poor soil, so mostly extensive
hill sheep farming
Slumping of ground where river
cuts into bank
Hill walking and mountain biking
bring in money, but tracks and
footpaths damage hillside
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Try one more annotated sketch here. This time, no grid is provided.
As you sketch, note and observe....
What materials are used in building? What do you notice about the height/number
of storeys of the buildings? In which direction do most buildings face?
How does the construction of the roads overcome the slopes?
Is there much forestry on the surrounding slopes?
What types of transport can you identify in the village?
What kind(s) of farming do we see?
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Land Use Mapping: spatial information
Working in groups, you are going to plot the land use of a sample of the villager. This
information will be recorded on an outline map. Finally we shall transfer this on to an
electronic map, called Open Street Map. A lot of data is held on maps electronically. We call
the patterns that are recorded on maps spatial information. Eg, Google maps uses layers
which allow you to add or remove different types of data.
Annotate the maps on the next page. Decide on a code and add the details here:
You can also add additional detail, by taking photographs of specific buildings. This can be
added to our electronic data base later. You need to number your photos 1, 2, 3 etc and log
them on spreadsheet at back of booklet for cross referencing.
1 2
Geography Study Tour of Switzerland 2013
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Se
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Urban: Visitor Survey.
Respondent 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Local or visitor?
Transport?
No of days here?
Accommodation type?
Activity Tally Mark
Mountain biking
climbing
Hiking/walking
paragliding
golf
Tennis
Jogging
Ballooning
fishing
Curling
Horse riding
photography
painting
Other ( eg)
Facility Tally Mark Facility ( con’d) Tally Mark
Information office bakery
restaurant dairy
supermarket clothes
Gift shop Cafe/bar
pharmacy Cable car
Post office Sports facilities
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Industry “Choc ‘n Cheese”
System diagram for Chocolate production
(Source: iledechocolat.blogspot.com)
Q. List the reasons (location factors) to explain why Nestle located at Broc
Where are raw materials from?
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Industry: Gruyere Cheese Factory
Cheese dairies are scattered across the whole of Switzerland. Cheese production is small
scale and serves a local area.
We call this DECENTRALISED production
Q. Why is this advantage? And why can Nestle not have a similar business model?
System diagram for Cheese production
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
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Lithosphere: Glaciated landscape: general
Three broad areas you need to know
1. The physical landscape ( erosion and deposition features)
2. The opportunities for social and economic activity provided by glaciated landscapes
3. The impact on the environment of human activity and possible conflicts of interest
Switzerland has approximately 3000 km2 of glaciers. Many of them are retreating,
decreasing in length and area. This means more melt water and flooding. It means less
water is locked up in the ice- a profound change in the HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE.
Today’s visit takes us to the Langgletscher in the Lotschental. (“tal”= valley). We shall be
walking on a path of the glacier’s forefield, towards the snout of the glacier. As we do so,
note that the ground is irregular and hummocky. This is because we are crossing debris
which the melting ice and melt water have left behind as the ice retreats. This undulating
material is called MORAINE.
Model of glaciated landscape
Truncated spur
Look for
rock falls
Moraine
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Checklist of glaciated features
Tick to show that you have seen each feature. If you see the a different example of the same feature, add a second, third tick, etc
Human uses of the landscape: Balance of Opportunities and Risks?
In each box on the left hand side write an opportunity created by the landscape
In each box on the right hand side, write a risk to human activity
Is the diagram still in balance?
Now write out the threats by human activity to the landscape,
Opportunities?? Risks??
.
.
.
Facility Tick Facility ( con’d) Tick
glacier Truncated spur
arête Horn (Pyramidal peak)
Snowline U shaped valley
Corrie/cirque moraine
Corrie lake ( tarn) Ribbon lake
Rock falls Hanging valley
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We’ll stop at three points on the walk to note and sketch the main features of the
scenery
Stop Description Field Sketch
1
2
3
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Biosphere: Soil and Vegetation succession along the glacial forefield from glacier snout to
car park
We shall stop 4 times on the way back to observe soil and plant features.
4. Ice Snout
3
2. 1. Car Park
Add a note on the plant(s) seen at each study stop
Draw a sketch of the soil profile in the column at each study
stop
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Hydrosphere: The Grande Eau, Les Diablerets
We shall be exploring the middle course of the Grande Eau towards, but not as far as, its
source. This is one of many tributaries of the Rhone.
Note that the level of the river in this region is highly dependent on:
Recent rainfall
Snowmelt
Steepness of slopes
Rock type
Human factors, eg building, drainage works, river protection walls, etc
Les Diablerets Broad flat valley floor of
the Rhone
Leysin
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Hydrosphere: River Ramble
We shall stop at several points along La Grande Eau, and talk you through key
features
River features Human uses/activity
1
2
3
4
5
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Record of photographs
Use the table below to complete a record of the photos you have taken on the trip, that you
might want to submit for the competition. An example has been done.
Photo Location Date Taken
Comments Competition Theme
1 Leysin
Centre
18
May
Tourist information office Tourism
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