By 20,000 years ago the ice sheet that covered northern Britain was rapidly shrinking. The ice melted amidst torrential meltwaters, leaving a scarred landscape of rock and glacial debris. Climate warmed rapidly, although there was a return to cold conditions between 12,900 and 11,700. Plants and animals colonised the bare land and hunter-gatherers probably arrived soon after 10,000 years ago, heralding a new chapter in the evolution of the landscape.
