Western Scotland
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Soil Survey of Scotland WESTERN SCOTLAND 1:250 000 SHEET 4 The Macaulay Institute for Soil Research Aberdeen 1982 SOIL SURVEY OF SCOTLAND Soil and Land Capability for Agriculture WESTERN SCOTLAND By J. S. Bibby, BSc, G. Hudson, BSc and D. J. Henderson, BSc with contributions from C. G. B. Campbell, BSc, W. Towers, BSc and G. G. Wright, BSc The Macaulay Institute for Soil Rescarch Aberdeen 1982 @ The Macaulay Institute for Soil Research, Aberdeen, 1982 The couer zllustralion is of Ardmucknish Bay, Benderloch and the hzlk of Lorn, Argyll ISBN 0 7084 0222 4 PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS ABERDEEN Contents Chapter Page PREFACE vii ACKNOWLEDGE~MENTS ix 1 DESCRIPTIONOF THEAREA 1 Geology, landforms and parent materials 2 Climate 12 Soils 18 Principal soil trends 20 Soil classification 23 Vegetation 28 2 THESOIL MAP UNITS 34 The associations and map units 34 The Alluvial Soils 34 The Organic Soils 34 The Aberlour Association 38 The Arkaig Association 40 The Balrownie Association 47 The Berriedale Association 48 The BraemorelKinsteary Associations 49 The Corby/Boyndie/Dinnet Associations 49 The Corriebreck Association 52 The Countesswells/Dalbeattie/PriestlawAssociations 54 The Darleith/Kirktonmoor Associations 58 The Deecastle Association 62 The Durnhill Association 63 The Foudland Association 66 The Fraserburgh Association 69 The Gourdie/Callander/Strathfinella Associations 70 The Gruline Association 71 The Hatton/Tomintoul/Kessock Associations 72 The Inchkenneth Association 73 The Inchnadamph Association 75 ... 111 CONTENTS Page The Insch Association 77 The Kintyre Association 77 The Knockskae Association 79 The Laurencekirk Association 80 The Links Association 80 The Lochinver Association 81 The NigglPreston Associations 85 The North Mormond/Orton Associations 85 The Roy Association 86 The Sabhail/Mounteagle Associations 87 The Sourhope Association 88 The Staffin Association 89 The Stirling/Duffus/Pow/CarbrookAssociations 91 The Stonehaven Association 91 The Strichen Association 92 The Tarves Association 99 The Torosay Association 101 The Torridon Association 103 The Miscellaneous Land Units 108 A guide to the soil landscapes of Western Scotland 110 Soil landscapes on drift-controlled landforms 111 Soil landscapes on rock-controlled landforms 119 3 LANDEVALUATION 126 Land capability classification for agriculture 126 Physical factors and agriculture in Western Scotland 127 The Classification 129 Class 3 131 Class 4 132 Class 5 134 Class 6 138 Class 7 140 Land capability for non-agricultural uses 142 Forestry 142 Recreation 144 REFERENCES 147 LIST OF PLATES Plates 1 to 15 illustrate various recurrent landform types. Plates 16-20 illustrate various land capability classes. Inveraray Castle, Argyll. Alluvial landforms 111 Achnacree Moss, North Connel, Argyll. Terrace peat 112 Druim Ghlaoidh, Loch Lochy, Inverness-shire. Hill peat 112 Sanna Bay, Ardnamurchan, Inverness-shire. Aeolian (dune) landforms 114 Gruinard Bay, Wester Ross. Raised beach landforms 115 Ford, Loch Awe, Argyll. Fluvioglacial landforms 116 Kilmuir, Island of Skye. Till landforms 117 Garvan, Loch Eil, Inverness-shire. Moraine landforms 118 Badluarach, Little Loch Broom, Wester Ross. Gently sloping, non-rocky hill landforms 119 iv CONTENTS Page 10 Mingary, Island of Mull. Terraced slightly rocky hill landforms 120 11 Loch a’ Ghille Ghobaich, Morar, Inverness-shire. Gently and strongly sloping moderately rocky hill landforms 121 12 Eilean Shona, Loch Moidart, Inverness-shire. Gently and strongly sloping very rocky hill landforms 122 13 Glen Luss, Dunbartonshire. Steeply sloping, non- and slightly rocky hill landforms 123 14 Glen More, near Glenelg, Inverness-shire. Steeply sloping moderately and very rocky hill landforms 124 15 Aonach Beag and Carn Dearg Mheadonach, Ben Nevis, Inverness-shire. Mountain summit landforms 125 16 Cultivated gravels of Corby Association near to Glenelg (Class 4.2) 133 17 Strong soil and landscape patterns on the Island of Mull (Classes 6.3 and 5.1) 135 18 Severe poaching of peaty gley soils (Class 5.3) 137 19 Contrast between plant communities (Class 6, divisions 2 and 3) on Meall nan Caora, near Glen Falloch, Perthshire 139 20 Effects of windthrow on forestry. Inverleiver Forest, Argyll 142 LIST OF FIGURES 1 Geology 4 2 Physiographic regions 7 3 Landforms of the Western Plateaux and Foothills 8 4 Landforms of the Dissected Central Mountains 10 5 Landforms of the Eastern Mountain Plateaux 11 6 Parent materials 13 7 Climate regions 16 8 Rainfall 18 9 Monthly average rainfall at representative stations 19 10 Relationship of organic horizon thickness to slope 22 11 Soil suction in a peaty gley 23 LIST OF TABLES A Principal geological formations 3 B Areas of soil map units 106 C Areas of land capability for agriculture map units 141 V Preface Soil surveys within the Western Scotland region prior to 1978 were confined to the Island of Rhum, the Island of Mull and Ardnamurchan and Morvern. Upon approval of the proposal for soil survey of the remaining parts of the Highlands at a scale of 1:250 000, mapping was started in 1978 in the Island of Skye by J. S. Bibby, G. Hudson and D. J. Henderson from the Soil Survey Regional Office in Oban. During 1979 and 1980 this party, with the addition of J. A. Hipkin, completed the survey of the remaining islands and central and southern mainland. The overlap with the Northern Scotland region (Sheet 3) was surveyed by D. W. Futty, R. E. F. Heslop, C. G. B. Campbell, W. Towers and A. J. Nolan. The eastern fringe of Sheet 4 lying in the overlap with the Eastern Scotland region (Sheet 5) was surveyed by B. M. Shipley, A. D. Walker, J. H. Gauld, G. G. Wright, J. S. Bell and T. W. M. Brown. The responsibility for mapping is shown in the accompanying figure. Field survey of all areas was completed by the end of 1980. Compilation of the maps and handbooks was carried out during 1981, based on a National Soil iMap Legend compiled by B. M. Shipley. The senior authors of the Western Scotland Handbook were J. S. Bibby, G. Hudson and D. J. Henderson with contri- butions from C. G. B. Campbell, W. Towers, G. G. Wright, D. W. Futty, R. E. F. Heslop and B. M. Shipley. Analytical results quoted in the text were produced at the Macaulay Institute for Soil Research, Aberdeen, mostly in the Department of Mineral Soils. The vegetation assessments were carried out by field staff according to a system designed by E. L. Birse and J. S. Robertson; correlation was the responsibility of the latter. The handbook has been edited by D. W. Futty. The base map was compiled and drawn by the Soil Survey cartographic section using modified components from Ordnance Survey 1:250 000 scale topographic and administrative maps. The soil map and the land capability for agriculture map were drawn by W. S. Shirreffs and Miss P. R. Carnegie. The diagrams in this book were drawn by A. D. Moir, J. S. Bibby and Mrs R. M. J. Fulton. Concurrently with the soil mapping, the staff of the Soil Survey Department carried out assessments of land capability for agriculture, using guidelines devised by Bibby, Douglas, Thomasson and Robertson (1982). Advisory groups were established to assist the surveyors in this task. They consisted of representatives of the Department ofAgriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, the vii PREFACE Scottish Agricultural Colleges and the National Farmers’ Union of Scotland. In addition consultation with the local offices of the various organizations was maintained. The committees proved lively forums for discussion and made valuable contributions to the interpretative maps. The responsibility for the maps remains entirely with the Soil Survey of Scotland however. 3 4 1 5 J. S. Bibby, G. Hudson, D. J. Henderson, J. A. Hipkin D. W. Futty, W. Towers, A. J. Nolan R.E.F. Heslop, C.G.B. Campbell A. D. Walker, G. G. Wright J. H. Gauld, J. S. Bell B. M. Shipley, T.W.M. Brown G. Hudson. W. Towers. J. S. Bell. T.W.M. Brown Survey team’ map areas Aerial photographs (scale 1:25 000) and field maps (scale 1:50 000) used in the project may be inspected by prior arrangement with the Soil Survey Department, Macaulay Institute for Soil Research, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB9 2QJ. ROBERT GRANT Head of &heSoil Survey of Scotland ... vlll Acknowledgements The Soil Survey Department wish to thank the many landowners and farmers who willingly co-operated in the survey by allowing access to their land. The assistance of various other agricultural organizations in the land capability assessments has already been acknowledged, but the Department would like to thank in particular C. G. Davidson, A. W. Henry, F. M. B. Houston, A. MacDonald, D. G. MacLachlan and J. Valentine (DAFS), A. MacLeod and G. E. D. Tiley (WOSAC), J. W. Grant and A. Howie (NOSCA) and G. Brechin, P. E. Durham, K. J. Gill, D. L. Girvan, the late J. Leitch,J. Johnstone, M. Martin and A. Maclntyre (NFU (Scot.)) for their valuable contributions to the two committees who advised on the northern and southern areas of the sheet respectively. Photographs in the text are by members of'the Soil Survey Department and by Aerofilms Ltd., Borehamwood. ix 1. Description of the Area The tract of land represented by the map and described in this handbook includes some of the most beautiful scenery in Scotland and much of the most rugged and bleak. From the deeply indented fjords of the west with their steep slopes dotted with birch and oakwoods to the cliffs of northern Skye and the white sand beaches of Tiree and Colonsay, the landscape is one of splendour and variety. It includes the farthest west point of the British mainland, Ardnamurchan Point, and the country’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis. Inland, ridge after ridge of mountains separated by deep glens introduce a faintly monotonous note until, in the extreme north-east and south-east, rolling agricultural landscapes begin to make their appearance, precursors of richer lands outwith the boundaries of the map.