Editing South West England (section)

===Geology and landscape===
Most of the region is located on the [[South West Peninsula]], between the [[English Channel]] and [[Bristol Channel]]. It has  the longest coastline of all the English regions, totalling over {{convert|700|mi|km|-1}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://southwest-ra.gov.uk/media/SWRA/RSS%20Documents/Final%20Draft/draftrssfull.pdf |title=South West Regional Assembly, Draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West, paras.1.1.3 and 7.2.1 |access-date=24 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304203728/http://www.southwest-ra.gov.uk/media/SWRA/RSS%20Documents/Final%20Draft/draftrssfull.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> Much of the coast is now protected from further substantial development because of its environmental importance, which contributes to the region's attractiveness to tourists and residents.

Geologically the region is divided into the largely [[igneous rock|igneous]] and [[metamorphic rock|metamorphic]] west and [[sedimentary rock|sedimentary]] east, the dividing line slightly to the west of the [[River Exe]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/sheet_1e-b.pdf|title=Information Sheet 1E: The Dartmoor granite and associated igneous rocks|publisher=Dartmoor National Park Authority|access-date=9 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091115033241/http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/sheet_1e-b.pdf|archive-date=15 November 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>  Cornwall and West Devon's landscape is of rocky coastline and high moorland, notably at [[Bodmin Moor]] and [[Dartmoor]].  These are due to the [[granite]] and [[slate]] that underlie the area. The highest point of the region is [[High Willhays]], at {{convert|2038|ft|m|0}}, on [[Dartmoor]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=9545|title=High Willhays|publisher=Peakbagger.com|access-date=9 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119074848/http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=9545|archive-date=19 January 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> In North Devon the slates of the west and limestones of the east meet at [[Exmoor]] National Park.  The variety of rocks of similar ages seen has led to the county's name being given to that of the [[Devonian]] period.

The east of the region is characterised by wide, flat clay [[Valley|vale]]s, and [[chalk]] and [[limestone]] [[downland]].  The vales, with good irrigation, are home to the region's dairy agriculture.  The [[Blackmore Vale]] was [[Thomas Hardy]]'s "Vale of the Little Dairies";<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thisisdorset.co.uk/westerngazette/news/Direct-Dorset-Producer-case-study/article-612470-detail/article.html|title=Direct From Dorset Producer case study|date=16 January 2009|work=Western Gazette|publisher=This is Dorset|access-date=9 September 2009}}</ref> another, the [[Somerset Levels]] was created by reclaiming wetlands.<ref name="robinwilliams">{{cite book |last1=Williams |first1=Robin |first2=Romey |last2=Williams |title=The Somerset Levels |year=1992 |publisher=Ex Libris Press |location=Bradford on Avon  |isbn=0-948578-38-6 }}</ref>  The [[Southern England Chalk Formation]] extends into the region, creating a series of high, sparsely populated and archaeologically rich downs, most famously [[Salisbury Plain]], but also [[Cranborne Chase]], the [[Dorset Downs]] and the [[Purbeck Hills]].  These downs are the principal area of [[arable land|arable agriculture]] in the region.  Limestone is also found in the region, at the [[Cotswolds]], [[Quantock Hills]] and [[Mendip Hills]], where they support sheep farming.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Duff |first1=K.L. |first2=A.P.|last2= McKirdy |first3= M.J. |last3=Harley |title=New sites for old: A students guide to the geology of the east Mendips |year=1985 |publisher=Nature Conservancy Council |isbn=0-86139-319-8 }}</ref>  All of the principal rock types can be seen on the [[Jurassic Coast]] of Dorset and East Devon, where they document the entire [[Mesozoic]] era from west to east.<ref name="UNESCO">{{cite web | year = 2001 | url = http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=1029 | title = Dorset and East Devon Coast | publisher = UNESCO World Heritage Centre | access-date = 14 January 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121024084244/http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=1029 | archive-date = 24 October 2012 | url-status = live }}</ref>