How are granite landscapes used?

Human activity on Dartmoor 
Dartmoor is a National Park located in the southwest of England (see map below). It is located on the top of an exposed granite batholith. Humans use Dartmoor in a range of ways, and these are explored below.

Quarrying on Dartmoor
Granite is quarried and is used as a building stone for flooring and kitchen worktops. In the past, granite blocks were used for dry-stone walling, buildings, and road stones. Many quarries are now abandoned. Dartmoor has a large number of granite quarries e.g. Meldon Quarry. Nelson’s Column was built using granite from Dartmoor.

Tourism on Dartmoor
Dartmoor is a National Park popular for walking, camping and pony trekking. Over 10 million people enjoy the granite landscape each year. Popular attractions include Hound Tor and Bowerman’s Nose.
Farming on Dartmoor
The soils are poor and acidic and frequently used for sheep farming rather than growing crops. Over 290,000 hectares of land are used for pastoral farming (rearing livestock), and just 900 hectares are used for arable farming (growing crops).
Mining on Dartmoor
Copper and tin mining used to be common in the area. The metals were found in thin veins within the granite.

Water on Dartmoor
Due to granite being impermeable Dartmoor is an ideal location for building reservoirs. There are eight reservoirs on Dartmoor e.g. Avon Dam reservoir.

Problems on Dartmoor
Quarrying, mining and china clay extraction can leave scars on the landscape, making it less attractive for tourists and locals.
Tourism causes pollution and congestion on the roads. Tourist activities can sometimes lead to conflict with local people.

Tourists buy second homes, increasing property prices so locals cannot afford to buy. Rural poverty is becoming a problem in areas such as Dartmoor.