Glacial landforms key terminology

What is a Corrie?

A Scottish term that refers to the armchair or amphitheatre shaped hollows that are located on the sheltered upland slopes of mountains affected by glaciation. Also referred to us cwm (Welsh) or cirque (French).

What is an Arête?

A knife-edged ridge formed when two Corries form back to back.

What is a pyramidal peak?

Formed where three or more corries and arêtes meet creating a sharply pointed summit.

What is a U-shaped valley/glacial trough?

A valley characterised by a flat floor and steep sides (resembling a U shape).

What is a truncated spur?

Cliff like features along the valley sides of a glacial trough, formed by the glacial erosion of interlocking spurs.

What is a hanging valley?

Indicated by a waterfall, a hanging valley is a tributary valley that is left suspended above the main glacial valley owing to differences in the rates of erosion that shaped the valley.

What is a misfit stream?

A stream occupying a valley which is larger than would be predicted on the basis of the stream’s present erosive power.

What is an erratic?

A rock or boulder that differs from the surrounding rock and is believed to have been brought from a distance by glacial action.

What is a Roche Moutonnée?

A small bear out crop of rock shaped by glacial erosion with one side smooth and gently sloping and the other steep, rough and irregular.

What is a ribbon lake?

A long narrow lake found at the bottom of a glacial trough.