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Cairngorm Landscapes
The Cairngorm Mountains (or Cairngorms) have a scenic character which is distinct from that of the rest of Scotland. These are granite hills and the Cairngorm Granite intrusion is one of the largest in the British Isles, displaying a wide range of classic granite landforms. It is also a glaciated terrain that exhibits splendid corries, over-deepened valleys and roches moutonnées. Equally, it is a fine example of a landscape of selective linear glacial erosion. Glacial erosion has been concentrated in the valleys whilst the adjacent plateau has been left little modified by the passage of ice. Here landforms can be seen whose origins predate the Ice Age. The Cairngorms also includes the largest area of high ground in Britain. The climate of the high tops is as severe as in arctic regions and a range of periglacial landforms are developed, reflecting the central importance of frost action both now and in the past.
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