Habitats range from woodlands, heather moorlands and grasslands to nutrient rich meres, upland and ponds and canals. For the geographer, glacial, periglacial and fluvial landforms complement the unique solid geology of the area - and a range of geology topics is available. Historic settlements such as Shrewsbury and Ludlow, and the new town of Telford are ideal for urban and settlement pattern studies. Ironbridge, ‘Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution’, is a short distance away.