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

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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

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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