Crag and tail facts for kids
A crag (sometimes called a craig in Scotland) is a rocky hill or mountain. It usually stands alone, separate from other high ground. Crags are often formed by the powerful forces of nature, especially glaciers.
How Crags Are Formed
Crags are created when a huge sheet of ice, called a glacier, moves across the land. Imagine a giant ice bulldozer! As the glacier slides, it grinds away the softer rocks around it. But if there's a very strong type of rock, like granite or a volcanic plug (which is hardened lava from an old volcano), the glacier can't easily move it.
This tough rock sticks out, forming the crag. The glacier keeps moving, and sometimes it leaves a long, sloping ridge of softer material behind the crag. This ridge is called a "tail." It's like the crag protects the land behind it from being completely worn away by the ice.
Over a very long time, especially if the crag is near the sea, the tail might disappear. This happens because wind, rain, and waves can slowly wear it away after the glacier is gone.
Famous Crags and Tails
You can find amazing crag and tail formations in many places. Here are some famous examples:
- Castle Rock in Edinburgh, Scotland, is a great example. Edinburgh Castle sits on top of this crag. The famous Royal Mile street stretches down from the castle, forming the "tail."
- Also in Edinburgh, you can see the Salisbury Crags and Arthur's Seat. These are also crags with tails that slope away.
- North Berwick Law is another well-known crag in North Berwick, Scotland.
- Near Stirling, Scotland, there are several crags, including the one where Stirling Castle is built.
- In Northern Ireland, Scrabo Hill in Newtownards has the Scrabo Tower on its crag.
- Ailsa Craig is a famous crag in Scotland. It's known for its special rock, which is used to make curling stones!
- Scientists have even found crag and tail features under the sea, off the coast of West Antarctica. This shows how powerful glaciers can be, even in the ocean.
