Welcome to VR Glaciers and Glaciated Landscapes!

Our virtual field trips allow you to explore the fascinating and often spectacular world of glaciers and glaciated landscapes. Look all around and zoom-in on features of interest – rather like Google Streetview © – and see how the landscape changes from one location to the next.

Sure, there is no substitute for real fieldwork, but this is not always possible. Through virtual fieldwork, VR Glaciers and Glaciated Landscapes supports class- and lab-based teaching. It can also be used by anyone wishing to explore these environments for themselves.

This site complements rather than replaces existing resources. So, if you want to learn all about glacial processes, landforms, and landscapes, start by looking at some of the excellent websites, textbooks, and journal articles out there (see the Resources section for some recommendations).

Thank you for visiting, and I hope you find the resources on this website useful. This is a work in progress, and feedback and suggestions for improvements are welcome.

Des McDougall
Department of Geography and the Environment,
University of Worcester
Worcester, UK.

Latest Posts

Switzerland

Arolla Valley, Switzerland: Virtual Field Trip

• alpine landscapes • glacier retreat • paraglacial reworking • Little Ice Age • moraines • supraglacial environment and processes • glacial erosion • weathering and mass wasting • human impacts •
Virtual field trips from 2006, 2018/19, and 2023!).
2006 - 2023

Col du Sanetsch, Switzerland: Virtual Field Trip

• alpine landscapes • tourism • settlements • geology and landscape • slope failure • hazards • fluvial landforms • weathering • glaciation •
2019

Ferpècle Valley, Switzerland: Virtual Field Trip

• alpine landscapes • proglacial environment (rivers, sediment, lake) • human impacts • Little Ice Age • moraines • proglacial meltwater channel • paraglacial reworking • glacier terminus •
2017 - 2024
Grande Dixence, Switzerland: Virtual Field Trip
• HEP • dam • alpine landscapes •
This tour only has 6 stops. It will be developed further when time and finances allow.
2018

Lötschental Valley, Switzerland: Virtual Field Trip

• alpine landscapes • meadows • glaciers • moraines • Little Ice Age • debris cones • snow avalanche tracks and deposits • river • rock slope deformation • cirques • glacial troughs • forests • Little Ice Age •
2018
Moiry Valley, Switzerland: Virtual Field Trip
• alpine landscapes • glacier retreat • Little Ice Age • moraines • paraglacial reworking • talus • debris cones • icefall • supraglacial sediment and ablation • supraglacial meltwater • striae • ice-moulded bedrock • HEP scheme •
** WORKSHEET AVAILABLE **
2017 - 2024
Roseg Valley, Switzerland: Virtual Field Trip
• alpine landscapes • braided river • moraines • debris cones • alluvial fans • glacier • talus • avalanche tracks • slope failure • Little Ice Age •
2008

California, USA

Big Pine (Owens Valley, California): Virtual Field Trip
• semi-arid / arid climate • till • moraines • talus • talus cones • snow avalanche (evidence for) • ice-moulded bedrock • rock glacier •
2013

Lyell Canyon (Yosemite NP, California): Virtual Field Trip

• forests • floodplain meadows • river • glacially-transported boulders • glacial trough • talus • snow avalanche tracks • bedrock (granite) • bedrock joints • unloading and exfoliation • ice-moulded bedrock • Matthes glaciation / Little Ice Age • moraines • cirques • glacier • striae • chattermarks •
2013
Tuolumne Meadows (Yosemite NP, California): Virtual Field Trip
• granite landscapes • roche moutonnée • meadows • meandering river • bars • islands • bank erosion • point bars • scroll bars • cutoff meanders •
2013

Lake District, NW England (UK)

Deepdale (English Lake District): Virtual Field Trip

• cirques • glacial trough • moraines • gullies • Younger Dryas • talus • debris cones •
2014

Helvellyn Range (English Lake District): Virtual Field Trip

• cirques • glacial trough • rock slope failures • moraines • gullies • Younger Dryas • talus • blockfields • debris cones • human impacts •
2014 - 2017

Keskadale, Newlands Valley (English Lake District): Virtual Field Trip

• moraine • headwall • Younger Dryas • solifluction
2017

Mosedale, Wasdale Head (English Lake District): Virtual Field Trip

• rivers • talus • debris flow tracks • debris cones • moraines • Younger Dryas • glacial troughs •
2017

Scotland (UK)

Coire Ardair, Creag Meagaidh (Scotland): Virtual Field Trip

• cirque • moraines • talus • rockfall • debris cones • Younger Dryas
2022

Glen Roy (Scotland): Virtual Field Trip

• glacial lake shorelines • moraines • slope failures • fans • rivers • terraces •
2022

Wales (UK)

Cwm Idwal and the Glyderau (Wales): Virtual Field Trip

• cirque • glacial trough • moraines • talus • blockfield • tors • rockfall • Younger Dryas • Late Devensian
2021
Picture of Dr Des McDougall (BSc, PhD, SFHEA)

Dr Des McDougall (BSc, PhD, SFHEA)

I'm a Physical Geographer at the University of Worcester (England, UK). Interests include mountain glaciers, mountain geomorphology and Quaternary environmental change. I'm also interested in the use of virtual reality in teaching.