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The landscape of
Scotland is built on the foundations of its geology, extraordinarily
diverse for a country of this size, and stretching from some of
the oldest rocks on the planet to recent sediments and landforms.
The deeply indented, fjordic coastline of the west coast and the
complex archipelagos of the Hebrides and the Western Isles are
the result of the erosion by glaciers in the recent ice age and
the flooding of these features by rising sea levels, a process
that is still going on today.
the National Trust for Scotland has some of
the country's best and most famous geological features under its
care. Fingal's Cave, on Staffa National Nature Reserve, has been
a favourite destination for geological tourism ever since Mendelssohn
composed the Hebrides Overture in awe of its cathedral-like basalt
columns. McCulloch's fossil tree is to be found at Burg on Mull,
which was one of the first properties to come into ownership of
the Trust.
On a landscape scale, the spectacular sea cliffs
of St Kilda, Mingulay, Unst and Fair Isle are shaped by their
geological origins, while the summit ramparts of the mountains
of Torridon result from one of Scotland's most distinctive geological
formations. The shifting sands of Iona, at the opposite end of
the scale of durability, result in achingly beautiful white beaches
and the flower-rich machair further inland.
All of these features go to make up the landscapes
that we value and, by interpreting their geological origins carefully,
we can add to the enjoyment of the visitors who come to appreciate
them. |
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The National Trust for Scotland. The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty is a charity registered in Scotland, Charity Number SC 007410 and depends for its support on the subscriptions of its members, donations and legacies. Terms & conditions of use | Increasing text size and site accessibility | Disability Access (PDF) | Site and contents copyright © 2008 the National Trust for Scotland.
