APPENDIX 2: ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS Appendix 2: Environmental Constraints Section 1 Environmental Constraints Designation / Name Key Features Feature SAC Ascrib, Isay and Dunvegan Common Seal (Phoca vitulina). SAC Sligachan Peatlands Blanket bog. Depressions on peat substrates. Wet heathland with cross-leaved heath. Clear water lakes or lochs with aquatic vegetation and poor to moderate nutrient levels. Very wet mires often identified by an unstable ‘quaking’ surface. SPA Cuillins Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). SSSI Allt Grillan Gorge Upland mixed ash woodland. (biological) SSSI An Cleireach Tertiary igneous intrusion geological feature. (geological) SSSI (mixed) Cuillins Tertiary and quaternary geological features. Fens. Upland bog and heath habitats. Upland birch woodland. Bryophyte assemblages. Vascular plant assemblages. SSSI Roineval Tertiary igneous geological feature. (geological) SSSI Sligachan Blanket bog (biological) Dystrophic and oligotrophic lochs Vascular plant assemblage Priority N/A Extensively across Section 1 areas identified as Class 1 Peatland peatland. GCR An Cleireach Excellent example of a coarse gabbroic-anorthosite (allivalite) sheet cutting the main Skye Main Lava Series. GCR Cuillin Hills [Quaternary of Scotland] Geological importance from the Quarternary period. GCR Roineval The site contains an excellent example of a composite mugearite flow with an aphyric lower member and a strongly feldspar-phyric upper part. GCR Ros a Mheallain The site contains excellent examples of trachyte, mugearite and benmoreite which are some of the most chemically evolved lavas in the Skye Main Lava Series. NSA The Cuillin Hills Relevant Special Qualities comprise: Magnificent mountain scenery; The surrounding wild landscape, a fitting foil for the mountains; Iconic images of crofting townships with dramatic backdrops; The Cuillin Ridge, a landmark throughout the northwest. WLA 22. Duirinish Wild coastline and moorland with isolated peaks. WLA 23. Cuillin Dramatic elevated wild landscapes, mountain peaks and summits and uninhabited valleys. SLA Greshornish Key landscape and visual characteristics: Rugged peninsula of impressive coastal cliffs. Extensive coastal views. Relevant Special Qualities: Contrasting Geology, Enclosure and Exposure of coastal landscapes; Historic Landscape of prehistoric and medieval features. SLA North West Skye Key landscape and visual characteristics: Varied, rugged and intricate coastline Appendix 2: Environmental Constraints Page 1 Extensive stepped moorland interior; Frequent large-scale panoramic views Coastal and moorland crofting settlements. Relevant Special Qualities: Dynamic coastline of sea stacks, bays and wild coast; Distinctive terrain; Crofting landscapes. SLA Trotternish and Tianavaig Key landscape and visual characteristics: Well-defined spine-like ridge crest with steep escarpment. Settled coastal fringe. Coastline or steep cliffs, gentle gradients and small headlands. Relevant Special Qualities: Dynamic Landslip Character; Ridgeline Spine and Coastal Fringe; Historic landscape of prehistoric settlement GDL Dunvegan Castle Early 19th Century designed landscape of woodland, formal garden, walled garden, and water garden associated with Dunvegan Castle. SM Struanmore, chambered cairn 800m A circular chambered cairn, a funerary and ritual monument SW of Struan Primary School dating from the Neolithic period (c.4000-2000 BC). SM Dun Beag, cairn 100m SSW of, Struan Comprising the Iron Age broch of Dun Beag, which is in state care, and a surrounding complex of remains. SM Sligachan Hotel, two bridges Removed due to dual designation SM Dun Feorlig,broch 230m NNE of Broch Feorlig Farm SM Ardmore, chapel & burial ground Chapel and burial ground 230m SW of SM Dun Neill, dun 420m SW of Ardmore Dun SM Dun SM Osdale, broch 850m N of Broch Osdale SM Clach Ard, symbol stone, Tote, Symbol stone Carbost SM Skeabost Island, St Columba's Church Monastic settlement & other ecclesiastical remains SM Ullinish Lodge, chambered cairn, Chambered cairn Bracadale SM Dun Mor, fort, Struanmore Fort SM Ullinish, fort, Bracadale Fort SM Dun Garsin, broch, Bracadale Broch SM Dun Fiadhairt, broch Broch SM Annait, monastic settlement on W Monastic settlement bank of Bay River SM Barpannan, two chambered cairns, Chambered cairns Vatten Duirinish SM Knock Ullinish, souterrain Comprising the remains of a souterrain, a rectangular building, and a circular structure. The souterrain dates from the later prehistoric or early historic period (c. 500 BC-AD 500) and would have served as a storage chamber for perishable goods. SM Dun Ardtreck, galleried dun, Skye Remains of a galleried dun or semi-broch on Ardtreck Point SM St Mary's Church and Burial Ground, A post-Reformation parish church and burial ground with Dunvegan medieval features SM Dun Beag, broch and surrounding Comprising the Iron Age broch of Dun Beag, which is in state structures, Struan, Skye. care, and a surrounding complex of remains. Listed Duirinish Parish Church Category A Listed Building Building Listed Dunvegan Castle Category A Listed Building Building Listed Dunvegan Castle, Laundry Category A Listed Building Building Appendix 2: Environmental Constraints Page 2 Listed Dunvegan Castle, Bridge Category A Listed Building Building Listed Various Buildings located around 28 Category B Listed Buildings Building Portree, Dunvegan, Bracadale and Skeabost Listed Various Buildings located around 21 Category C Listed Buildings Building Portree, Dunvegan, Bracadale and Skeabost Conservation Portree Harbour and town centre Area Appendix 2: Environmental Constraints Page 3 Section 2 Environmental Constraints Designation / Name Key Features Feature SAC Strath Two lime-rich lochs The surroundings encompass the most extensive exposure of Durness limestone in Britain. The component lochs represent high-quality hard-water, oligotrophic habitat with water clear to the bottom of the lochs at 4 m depth. One of four sites representing low-altitude Alpine and subalpine calcareous grasslands in north-west Scotland Low-altitude Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation Limestone pavements SAC Sligachan Peatlands Blanket bog. Depressions on peat substrates. Wet heathland with cross-leaved heath. Clear water lakes or lochs with aquatic vegetation and poor to moderate nutrient levels. Very wet mires often identified by an unstable ‘quaking’ surface. SPA Cuillins Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). SSSI (mixed) Cuillins Tertiary and quaternary geological features. Fens. Upland bog and heath habitats. Upland birch woodland. Bryophyte assemblages. Vascular plant assemblages. SSSI Eyre Point Part of the British Permian – Triassic represented by (geological) continental ‘red bed’ sediments. SSSI Meall a' Mhaoil Designated for igneous petrology (tertiary igneous) (geological) SSSI (mixed) Raasay Lower Jurassic stratigraphy SSSI (mixed) Strath The site is of international and national importance for its wide range of limestone and limestone influenced habitats which has created exceptional ecological diversity. Priority N/A Various areas of Class 1 and 2 peatland, intermittently Peatland through Section 2. GCR Beinn an Dubhaich Spectacular calc-silicate and skarn mineral assemblages are developed in carbonate sediments at the granite contacts, along with a limited development of alkali granite. GCR Coire Uaigneich The distinctive mineralogy of the Coire Uaigneich granophyre indicates that it crystallized under shallow, near-surface conditions and its bulk composition shows that it received a substantial contribution from the Torridonian sediments. It is the only sizeable granitic intrusion belonging to the Cuillin centre and it is older than the other Skye granites. GCR Cuillin Hills [Quaternary of Scotland] Geological importance from the Quarternary period. GCR Cuillin Hills [Tertiary Igneous] Excellent exposure of a wide variety of arcuate ultrabasic and gabbroic intrusions. The site is the best area in the British Tertiary Volcanic Province where the roots of a major volcanic complex may be examined in detail. GCR Eyre Point Part of the British Permian – Triassic represented by continental ‘red bed’ sediments. GCR Kilchrist [Tertiary Igneous] Excellent examples of ignimbrites, tuffs and rhyolite flows are interbedded with agglomerates. The lava flows and volcaniclastic rocks are preserved in a downfaulted block bounded by a ring-dyke of hybrid (mixed-magma) rocks and the Beinn na Caillich Granite. GCR Maol na Gainmhich Closely related to the Marsco site (see below). The Marsco and Mheall a' Mhaoil sites are dominated by various granite Appendix 2: Environmental Constraints Page 4 and felsite intrusions which belong to the Western Red Hills centre. GCR Marsco The Marsco site is dominated by various granite and felsite intrusions which belong to the Western Red Hills centre. The Marsco site provides key evidence from a variety of contacts for the relative ages of several of the superimposed granite intrusions forming the Western Red Hills centre. NSA The Cuillin Hills Relevant Special Qualities comprise: Magnificent mountain scenery; The surrounding wild landscape, a fitting foil for the mountains; Iconic images of crofting townships with dramatic backdrops; The Cuillin Ridge, a landmark throughout the northwest. WLA 23. Cuillin Dramatic elevated wild landscapes, mountain peaks and summits and uninhabited valleys. SLA Trotternish and Tianavaig Key landscape and visual characteristics: Well-defined