Quaternary of Scotland the GEOLOGICAL CONSERVATION REVIEW SERIES

Quaternary of Scotland THE GEOLOGICAL CONSERVATION REVIEW SERIES The comparatively small land area of Great Britain contains an unrivalled sequence of rocks, mineral and fossil deposits, and a variety of landforms that span much of the earth's long history. Well-documented ancient volcanic episodes, famous fossil sites, and sedimentary rock sections used internationally as comparative standards, have given these islands an importance out of all proportion to their size. These long sequences of strata and their organic and inorganic contents, have been studied by generations of leading geologists thus giving Britain a unique status in the development of the science. Many of the divisions of geological time used throughout the world are named after British sites or areas, for instance the Cambrian, Ordovician and Devonian systems, the Ludlow Series and the Kimmeridgian and Portlandian stages. The Geological Conservation Review (GCR) was initiated by the Nature Conservancy Council in 1977 to assess, document, and ultimately publish accounts of the most important parts of this rich heritage. The GCR reviews the current state of knowledge of the key earth-science sites in Great Britain and provides a firm basis on which site conservation can be founded in years to come. Each GCR volume describes and assesses networks of sites of national or international importance in the context of a portion of the geological column, or a geological, palaeontological, or mineralogical topic. The full series of approximately 50 volumes will be published by the year 2000. Within each individual volume, every GCR locality is described in detail in a self- contained account, consisting of highlights (a precis of the special interest of the site), an introduction (with a concise history of previous work), a description, an interpretation (assessing the fundamentals of the site's scientific interest and importance), and a conclusion (written in simpler terms for the non-specialist). Each site report is a justification of a particular scientific interest at a locality, of its importance in a British or international setting, and ultimately of its worthiness for conservation. The aim of the Geological Conservation Review series is to provide a public record of the features of interest in sites being considered for notification as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). It is written to the highest scientific standards but in such a way that the assessment and conservation value of the site is clear. It is a public statement of the value set on our geological and geomorphological heritage by the earth-science community which has participated in its production, and it will be used by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, English Nature, the Countryside Council for Wales, and Scottish Natural Heritage in carrying out their conservation functions. The three country agencies are also active in helping to establish sites of local and regional importance. Regionally Important Geological/Geomorphological Sites (RIGS) augment the SSSI coverage, with local groups identifying and conserving sites which have educational, historical, research or aesthetic value, enhancing the wider earth science conservation perspective. All the sites in this volume have been proposed for notification as SSSIs, the final decision to notify or renotify lies with the governing Councils of the appropriate country conservation agency. Information about the GCR publication programme may be obtained from: Earth Science Branch, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Monkstone House, City Road, Peterborough PE1 1JY. Quaternary of Scotland Edited by J. E. Gordon Scottish Natural Heritage, Edinburgh, Scotland. and D. G. Sutherland Edinburgh, Scotland. GCR Editor: W. A. Wimbledon JOINTßfef NATURE W CONSERVATION COMMITTEE ES SPRINGER-SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, B.V. First edition 1993 © 1993 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht Originally published by Chapman & Hall in 1993 Typeset in ITC Garamond 10/12 by Columns Design & Production Services Ltd, Reading ISBN 978-94-010-4657-2 Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the UK Copyright Designs and Patents Act, 1988, this publication may not be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction only in accordance with the terms of the licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency in the UK, or in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the appropriate Reproduction Rights Organization outside the UK Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the terms stated here should be sent to the publishers at the London address printed on this page. The publisher makes no representation, express or implied, with regard to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and cannot accept any legal responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions that may be made. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data The Quaternary of Scotland / edited by J. E. Gordon, D. G. Sutherland. — 1st ed. p. cm. - (The Geological conservation review series ; 6) Includes index. ISBN 978-94-010-4657-2 ISBN 978-94-011-1500-1 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-94-011-1500-1 1. Geology, Stratigraphic-Quaternary. 2. Geology-Scotland. I. Gordon, J. E. (John E.) II. Sutherland, D. G. (Donald G.) III. Series. QE696.Q3365 1993 551.7'9'094ll-dc20 93-12124 CIP Tides in the series 1. Geological Conservation Review An introduction 2. Quaternary ofWales S. Campbell and D. Q. Bowen 3. Caledonian Structures in Britain South of the Midland Valley Edited by J. E. Treagus 4. British Tertiary Volcanic Province C. H. Emeleus and M. C. Gyopari 5. Igneous Rocks of South-west England P. A. Floyd, C. S. Exley and M. T. Styles 6. Quaternary ofScodand Edited by J. E. Gordon and D. G. Sutherland 7. Quaternary of the Thames D. R. Bridgland Contents Contributors xii Acknowledgements xiv Access to the countryside xv Foreword xvi Preface xviii 1 Introduction J E Gordon and D. G. Sutherland 1 Rationale for conservation and selection of Quaternary sites in Scotland 3 Introduction to the Quaternary 5 2 The Quaternary in Scotland D. G. Sutherland andJ E Gordon 11 Pre-glacial landform inheritance and the effects of glacial erosion 13 Quaternary events prior to the Late Devensian ice-sheet glaciation 18 Late Devensian ice-sheet glaciation 27 Lateglacial Interstadial 34 The Loch Lomond Stadial 36 The Holocene 41 Conclusion 45 3 The Shetland Islands 49 Introduction D. G. Sutherland andJ E Gordon 51 Fugla Ness H J B. Birks 54 Sel Ayre HJ B. Birks 58 Burn of Aith J Birnie 61 Garths Voe J Birnie 63 Ronas Hill J E Gordon 66 4 The Orkney Islands 69 Introduction D. G. Sutherland andJ E Gordon 71 Muckle Head and Selwick D. G. Sutherland 74 Den Wick J E Gordon 76 Mill Bay J E Gordon 78 Ward Hill, Enegars Corrie and Dwarfie Hamars D. G. Sutherland 80 vii Contents 5 Caithness 83 Introduction D. G. Sutherland 85 The glaciation of Caithness] E Gordon 87 Baile an t-Sratha] E Gordon 91 Drumhollistan ] E Gordon 92 Leavad ] E Gordon 94 Loch of Winless H] B. Birks 96 6 North-west Highlands 99 Introduction D. G. Sutherland 101 Gairloch Moraine C K Ballantyne 103 Achnasheen ] E Gordon and D. G. Sutherland 106 An Teallach C K Ballantyne 110 Baosbheinn D. G. Sutherland 115 Beinn Alligin ] E Gordon 118 Cnoc a'Mhoraire ] E Gordon 122 Coire a'Cheud-chnoic ] E Gordon and D. G. Sutherland 123 Corrieshalloch Gorge L.] McEwen 126 Creag nan Uamh T.] Lawson 127 SgiIrr Mor C K Ballantyne 133 CamLoch H] B. Birks 134 Loch Sionascaig H] B. Birks 137 Lochan an Druim H] B. Birks 141 Loch Maree H] B. Birks 143 7 Inverness area 147 . Introduction D. G. Sutherland and] E Gordon 149 Clunas A M. Hall 152 Dalcharn C A Auton 154 Allt Odhar ] W Merritt 159 Clava] E Gordon 165 Ardersier ] E Gordon and] W Merritt 170 Struie Channels] E Gordon 174 Kildrummie Kames] E Gordon and C A Auton 176 Ilttlemill ] E Gordon 181 Torvean J E Gordon 184 Findhorn Terraces L.] McEwen andA Werritty 187 Coire Dho ] E Gordon 189 Fort Augustus C R. Firth 192 Dores C R. Firth 196 Barnyards C R Firth 199 Munlochy Valley C R Firth 204 Ben Wyvis C K Ballantyne 207 8 North-east Scotland 211 Introduction D. G. Sutherland and] E Gordon 213 Windy Hills] E Gordon and D. G. Sutherland 216 Moss of Cruden A M Hall 218 Pittodrie A M Hall 221 Hill ofLongbaven Quarry A M. Hall 223 Kirkhill A M Hall and] Jarvis 225 Bellscamphie A M Hall and] Jarvis 230 viii Contents Boyne Quarry J E Gordon 233 Teindland Quarry D. G. Sutherland 236 Castle Hill D. G. Sutherland 240 Kippet Hills J E Gordon 242 Muir of Dinnet J E Gordon 246 Philorth Valley D. E Smith 251 9 Eastern Grampian Mountains 255 Introduction D. G. Sutherland 257 The Cairngorms J E Gordon 259 Lochnagar J E Gordon and C K Ballantyne 276 Loch Etteridge MJ C Walker 280 Abernethy Forest J E Gordon 285 AlIt na Feithe Sheilich HJ B. Birks 289 Coire Fee HJ B. Birks 292 Morrone B. Huntley 295 GlenFeshie A WerrittyandL.JMcEwen 298 10 South-west Highlands 305 Introduction D. G. Sutherland 307 Tangy Glen D. G. Sutherland 310 Glenacardoch Point J M. Gray 313 Isle of Lismore, the Dog Stone and Clach Tholl J M. Gray 316 Moss of Achnacree and Achnaba Landforms J M. Gray 319 South Shian and Balure ofShian J D. Peacock 323 Glen Roy and the Parallel Roads of Lochaber J E Gordon 328 Kingshouse M.J C Walker 344 Pulpit Hill R M.

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