Argyll - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 105

1 ARRAN ROCKS

Arran is a top destination for the country's geology students. First, this small island is split in
two by the Highland Boundary Fault , and therefore contains a superb variety of rock
formations, typical of both the Highlands and the Lowlands. And, second, it is the place where
Sir James Hutton (1726-97), the “father of modern geology” came in 1787, in order to lay
down research for his epic work, A Theory of the Earth . Even if you know very little about
geology, it is possible to appreciate some of the island's more obvious features. If any of the
below whets your appetite, start by getting hold of the geological booklet, Arran and the Clyde
Islands , produced by Scottish Natural Heritage.
HUTTON'S UNCONFORMITY
The most famous location is just beyond Newton Point , on the north shore of Loch Ranza,
where Allt Beithe stream runs into the sea. Here, two types of rocks by the shore are set
virtually at right angles to one another, the older Cambrian schist dipping towards the land,
while the younger Devonian sandstone slopes into the sea. This phenomenon became known
as Hutton's Unconformity .
FOLDED ROCKS AND RAISED BEACHES
At Imachar Point , between Pirnmill and Dougarie, you can view in miniature the geological
process known as folding , which affected the ancient Cambrian schist around a hundred
million years ago, and, on a larger scale, resulted in the formation of mountain ranges such as
those of north Arran. Another classic, more recent geological formation to be seen on Arran is
raised beaches , formed at the end of the last Ice Age, some fifteen thousand years ago, when
the sea level was much higher, and then left high and dry when the sea level dropped. The road
that wraps itself around Arran runs along the flat ground that subsequently emerged from the
sea. One of the best locations to observe this is at the King's Cave , north of Blackwaterfoot,
where you can see huge sea caves stranded some distance from today's shoreline.
DOLERITE DYKES
Down on the south coast, the shoreline below Kildonan reveals some superb examples of
dolerite dykes , formed when molten rock erupted through cracks in the sedimentary sandstone
rocks above, around sixty million years ago. The molten rock solidified and, being harder, now
stands above the surrounding sandstone, forming strange, rocky piers jutting out into the sea.
OTHER GEOLOGICAL QUIRKS
There are numerous other interesting features to look out for, such as solidified sand dunes
and huge granite boulders, known as erratics , on Corrie beach in the northeast of the island,
classic glacial valleys such as Glen Sannox, and felsite sills such as the one at Drumadoon,
near Blackwaterfoot, in the southwest.

eighteenth century (see box above). As for golf, Arran boasts seven courses, including
three of the eighteen-hole variety at Brodick, Lamlash and Whiting Bay, and a unique
twelve-hole course at Shiskine, near Blackwaterfoot.
Although tourism is now by far its most important industry, Arran, at twenty miles in
length, is large enough to have a life of its own. While the island's post-1745 history
and the Clearances (set in motion by the local lairds, the Hamiltons) are as depressing
as elsewhere in the Highlands, in recent years Arran's population has actually increased,
in contrast with more remote islands. Once a county in its own right (along with
Bute), Arran was left out of Argyll & Bute in the latest county boundary shake-up, and
is coupled instead with mainland North Ayrshire, with which it enjoys year-round
transport links, but little else.

ARRIVAL AND GETTING AROUND ISLE OF ARRAN

By ferry CalMac ( W calmac.co.uk) operate two year-round
ferry services: one from Ardrossan in Ayrshire to Brodick
(April-Oct 4-6 daily; 55min), and a smaller ferry from

Claonaig on the Kintyre peninsula to Lochranza in the
north (April-Oct 8-9 daily; 30min).
By bus Transport on Arran itself is pretty good: daily