[DanaC]

Psychologically, as well, despite the chunnel, I think we've always felt that sense of physical separation from mainland Europe - and with it a sense of physical boundary to our country. It really wouldn't take a terribly long time to travel on foot from one side, or one end of the island to the other. With modern transport you're talking hours. Everything is scaled down compared to America - mountains and valleys are smaller, major towns and cities are smaller, distances in between, everything.

The variety in landscape, rock types, even climate, is there, but in much smaller pockets.