CITATION - SCARISDALE SITE OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST Argyll & Bute Site code: 189

NATIONAL GRID REFERENCE: NM 536350, NM 526387, NM 524386

OS 1:50,000 SHEET NO: Landranger Series 48 1:25,000 SHEET NO: Explorer Series 375

AREA: 4089.42 hectares

NOTIFIED NATURAL FEATURES

Geological : Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology: Quaternary of : Igneous Petrology: Tertiary Igneous : Mineralogy: Mineralogy of Scotland Biological : Woodlands: Upland Oak Woodland

DESCRIPTION

Ben More – Scarisdale Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is located south of Loch na Keal on the . The site is notified for various nationally-important geological interests: glacial geomorphology, on the foreshore and adjacent ground at Scarisdale; multiple areas of petrological interest between Loch Ba, Ben More and Loch na Keal; and areas of mineralogical interest on the western slopes of Ben More. The site is also notified for upland oak woodland which occurs in three significant stands; Scarisdale Wood south of Loch na Keal, Coille na Stroine west of Loch Ba and Coille na Craig Dubh above the river Clachaig. Together these woodland compartments represent one of the most extensive areas of ancient deciduous woodland among the Hebridean islands of Mull, and Tiree.

The foreshore and adjacent ground at Scarisdale is an important site for glacial geomorphology. It provides the best known examples in Britain of p-forms, plastically moulded forms on glaciated bedrock. Those at Scarisdale include curved and sinuous channels, many with striations, and bowls and sichelwannen. Several possible processes have been proposed to explain the formation of p-forms, and Scarisdale is a key locality in Britain for the study of these controversial features.

In addition the area between Loch Ba, Ben More and Loch na Keal includes a variety of geological features formed during the early Palaeogene around 60 million years ago. These include: the fullest development of the Plateau Group lavas; representatives of the Central Group of lavas in varying states of metamorphism; intrusions, much cut by cone-sheets, belonging to the Glen More (first) and Ben Chaisgidle (second) igneous Centres and a full sequence of intrusive rocks and structures associated with the (third) Loch Ba Centre. Internationally the area is recognised and significant for the role it has played in the development of igneous petrology. It provides the first, and still perhaps the most perfect, known example of a ring-dyke, one of the few modes of occurrence of igneous rocks to have an internationally established type-locality. The term has subsequently been mis-used and the conservation of the rock-mass for which the name was originally coined has, even for this reason alone, been rendered all the more necessary.

High on the western slopes of Ben More there are locations that are recognised nationally for the study of zeolites and other amygdale filling minerals that were subjected to thermal alteration since their original formation as gas bubbles in the Palaeogene lavas. At the end of the 19th century and first quarter of the 20th century studies into these thermal transformations became a landmark in understanding zeolite metamorphism. The mineralogical interest includes spectacular examples of the mineral scolecite.

Scarisdale Wood by Loch na Keal, Coille na Stroine by Loch Ba and Coille na Craig Dubh above the river Clachaig consist of ancient wind-shaped oak/birch woodland relics on moss covered boulders. The tree canopy rarely exceeds 8 m in height. Rowan is common in the understory and holly, sallows, hazel and ash, are also present.

The field layer is dominated by blaeberry Vaccinium myrtillus, and purple moor grass Molinia caerulea. Where the soil is deeper the field layer is rich in herbs such as wood-sorrel Oxalis acetosella, yellow pimpernel Lysimachia nemorum, primrose Primula vulgaris, common dog- violet Viola riviniana, wood anemone Anemone nemorosa and bluebell Hyacinthoides non- scripta. Wild angelica Angelica sylvestris, marsh hawks-beard Crepis paludosa and meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria are present in wetter situations and in small areas of base-rich soils sweet woodruff Galium odoratum is present below ash and hazel. Hypnoid mosses including Hylocomium splendens, Thuidium tamariscinum and Rhytidiadelphus loreus are abundant. The native woodland relics support rich assemblages of oceanic lichens and bryophytes along with ferns such as the hay scented buckler fern Dryopteris aemula and the filmy fern Hymenophyllum wilsonii, which is characteristic of the native deciduous oceanic woodlands of the West Highlands and Inner .

NOTIFICATION HISTORY

First notified under the 1949 Act: 1962 and 1975 as Central Mull Complex and 1962 and 1974 as An Gearna Re-notified under the 1981 Act: 28 February 1990 with an area increase of 1964.25 ha (including the former An Gearna SSSI and Central Mull complex sites). Notification reviewed under the 2004 Act: 14 October 2010

REMARKS

Measured area of site corrected (from 4123.2 ha).

Part of Ben More Scarisdale SSSI is designated as part of Mull Oakwoods Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for the European habitats and species listed below and the site is also part of Cnuic agus Cladach Mhuile Special Protection Area (SPA) for the birds listed below.

Habitats : Western acidic oak woodland Species : Otter (Lutra lutra) Birds : Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)