The building of ben hiant ben hiant is composed of a variety of rock types, formed at different times and in different ways. This bibliography was generated on cite this for me on saturday, march 12, 2016. We paused at the base of the first of stallachan dubhas peaks and looked back towards the scree slopes below the ridge that is ben hiant. We also have 3 selfcatering units available for rent, sleeping from 2 to 6 people each. Previous visits to ben hiant and meall sanna in 2008 left us keen for more here and the s2k meall nan con looked like having a better view than hiant to the small isles. The rugged profile of ben hiant dominates the ardnamurchan peninsula being the highest mountain on the peninsula at 528 metres. At 528m, its west ardnamurchan s highest point, but it dominates the local scenery and we knew, from our previous climb some 16 years ago, that the views from the top on a clear day. The stunning ardnamurchan peninsula is the most westerly part of the british mainland and is quite literally the end of the road. Ben hiant epitomises the complex geology of the ardnamurchan region being a conglomeration of quartzdolerite, breccias, pitchstone, basalt lavas, cone sheets and moine schist. Ben hiant walking in lochaber, ardnamurchan and the west. Camas nan geall is of archaeological interest with a neolithic chambered cairn and a bronze age standing stone. The remote peninsula of ardnamurchan includes the most westerly point in mainland britain, and its most westerly village, kilchoan. Ben hiant with the family visiting, a good forecast for the morning, and a very mixed forecast for the rest of their stay, we decided yesterday to climb ben hiant. Ardnamurchan in northern argyll is a peninsula forming the westernmost point of mainland great britain.
A perfect base to explore the wild and beautiful ardnamurchan peninsular and its surroundings. Three distinct centres of activity have been recognised and numbered sequentially from oldest to youngest as centre 1, centre 2 and centre 3 richey and thomas, 1930. The clansmen and their families were evicted, sometimes brutally. There are no less than eighteen scheduled monuments, nationally protected sites, varying from neolithic cairns some 6,000 years old through to bronze age standing stones, iron age coastal forts, a 12th century church, a th century castle mingary and a 19th century cleared village. Ardnamurchan is one of the most famous ring volcanoes in the world. The entry on canmore, the site of the royal society for the ancient and historical monuments of scotland, states that, when the area was first surveyed by the ordnance survey in the midninteenth century, their surveyors were told that the stones were called cladh chatain, a name also used by mem donaldson. By comparison, the other villages of west ardnamurchan are small, the smallest having a population of one.
A jurassic age for a sedimentary sequence on ben hiant, ardnamurchan, argyll transactions of the edinburgh geological society. The north western corner of ardnamurchan consists of a lopolith previously interpreted as a ring dyke that has been exposed at the surface. Our first sighting was at distance from the foot of ben hiant. Its also a shapely little peak in its own right a perfect short hillwalk. I also saw golden eagle from the bay at the foot of ben hiant on ardnamurchan, and plenty of tourist eagles, buzzards, all over. This interpretation describes the geology of ben hiant, and the important role volcanoes have played in the region. It is a distinct finger of land, jutting out westward from the mainland part of northernmost argyll. Camas nan geall and ben hiant, ardnamurchan, highland. A pleasant walk up ben hiant on mostly well defined path with amazing views over ardnamurchan, morvern, mull, the small isles and beyond. Geopark rock route 9 ben hiant tourist attractions in. These are the sources and citations used to research ardnamurchan. Ardnamurchan s reputation as a wild, rugged and beautiful peninsula is well deserved. Oblique aerial view of ben hiant, south coast of ardnamurchan. Thus, knowledgearmed, follow the road as it veers inland climbing high up the slopes of ben hiant leaving an easily manageable ascent of some 335m 1,100ft.
Ben hiant the rugged profile of ben hiant dominates the ardnamurchan peninsula being the highest mountain on the peninsula at 528 metres. Heritage ardnamurchan has been supported by a grant from the heritage lottery fund. Ardnamurchan peninsula ardnamurchan natural history. As those who have visited west ardnamurchan well know, there is only one warning. Wednesday 6th may, 2015 see also exploring ardnamurchan. Ardnamurchan is exceptionally rich in archaeological remains. The chalet at ben hiant holiday rental deep in the. The bay lies to the west of the promontory rubha aird slignich and to the east of ben hiant and macleans nose. Local and regional controls on the lateral emplacement of the ben hiant dolerite intrusion, ardnamurchan nw scotland author links open overlay panel craig magee a carl t. Scottish hills forumsviewtopicexploring ardnamurchan. The minerals kilchoanite, dellaite and rustumite were first found at kilchoan. Mull and ardnamurchan part 5 the geology of staffa and fingals cave mull and ardnamurchan part 4 mammals. Geologist gets back at neighbors who put rock on drive by.
Ill be honest, i was delighted with this sighting and would have been quite. Thanks to national lottery players, we have been able to create this important resource for local heritage. Ben hiant may be only 528m high, but its position as the highest point out on the ardnamurchan peninsula makes it a superlative viewpoint, taking in miles of coastline and countless islands. Mull and ardnamurchan part 4 mammals why watch wildlife. Ben hiant is the highest point of the peninsula at 528 m and lies between the village and the coastal hamlet of ardslignish. We have 25 pitches, 9 of which are located just above the high water mark, down on the foreshore.
Part 1 the ring complex after my wander up onto the rim of the ring complex, the weather was still cooperating, so i headed in the car for ben hiant. Its remains can be visited on the east slopes of ben hiant above camus nan geall. We drove on to the carpark opposite ben hiant well marked on maps which is an excellent place to view this sprawling mountain. It is the most westerly village in great britain, although several tiny hamlets lie further west on the peninsula of these, the most westerly is called portuairk. Ardnamurchan central complex, hebridean igneous province.
Ben hiant epitomises the complex geology of the ardnamurchan region being a conglomeration of quartzdolerite. On this, my first ever visit, i got sparkling sunshine, sandy beaches, enormous views and even the northern. A natural history museum is adjacent to the hamlet to the east at the coastal hamlet of glenmore. Ardnamurchan is probably the most remote of the west highland peninsulas and is home to the most westerly point on the british mainland. It is in fact known that the structure of the northwestern corner of the ardnamurchan peninsula is due to alopolith. Beds exposed on the southeast side of ben hiant, ardnamurchan, previously thought to be tertiary or carboniferous, are shown from their spore content to be most likely jurassic in age. A few miles before reaching ben hiant, there is a small parking area with an information sign about the ardnamurchan volcano and ben hiant.
These rock formations bear evidence of later sculpturing by ice. Mull and ardnamurchan part 6 visiting scotland why. It provides a perfect highland retreat combining rustic charm with home comforts. Song my love is like a red, red rose scotland forever mix. This is a beautiful but unforgiving and remote corner of scotland, with amazing seascapes over the islands seemingly around every corner. See more ideas about geology, minerals and outer hebrides. The chalet at ben hiant is a 2 bedroom log cabin which sleeps 4 people. Camas nan geall is a sandy bay on the south shore of the ardnamurchan peninsula. This bibliography was generated on cite this for me on tuesday, april 26, 2016. Ben hiant forms an extinct tertiary volcano, it is the earliest major igneous event of the ardnamurchan central igneous complex. Habitat types associated with ben hiant include wet heath, dry heath and upland grassland. The western linear, coastal parts of the village are ormsaigmore and ormsaigbeg. Ardnamurchan part 5 the geology of staffa and fingals cave.
A jurassic age for a sedimentary sequence on ben hiant. Local and regional controls on the lateral emplacement of. Ardnamurchan volcano when you drive along the wild and lonely road from kilchoan to sanna on the ardnamurchan peninsula, you find yourself passing through a lowlying, almost moonlike terrain that is fringed on all sides by lumpy black hills. An enterprising geologist got revenge on neighbors who drunkenly rolled a huge boulder onto her driveway by blasting it with a noisy powertool at 7. The austere rugged profile of ben hiant 528m dominates the northern shore of loch sunart of the ardnamurchan peninsula with its bare rock exposures and jutting outcrops. Those evicted often left the area altogether, either to find work in places like glasgow or for a new life abroad. The cloud had been licking the 528m summit earlier in the day, but it was now a little above the top. Ardnamurchan point, which has the 36metretall 118 ft ardnamurchan lighthouse built on it, is commonly described as the most westerly point of the british mainland although corrachadh mor, a kilometre to the south, is a few metres further west geology.
Local activities and things to do near the ardnamurchan. Although ben hiant is a truly commanding presence in the skyline, the ascent to the summit doesnt involve a huge amount of scrambling, making the trail accessible to. Search type research explorer website staff directory. It has a rocky coastline with superb beaches and breathtaking views of the small isles of eigg and rum in the sea of the hebrides. It is a fantastic holiday destination in the scottish highlands with beautiful loch sunart and stunning beaches such as sanna bay around its edge. These are the sources and citations used to research geology of ardnamurchan. Scotland is full of mindbending geology but i think the ardnamurchan ring dyke. Details on local activities and things to do near the ardnamurchan camp site on the west coast of scotland including our top 10, from walking to wildlife tours, with everything from puffins, seals and otters to local heritage museums and dark sky star gaxing. The mountain is formed of a hard porphyritic dolerite which was intruded as part of the centre 1 activity of the great ardnamurchan volcanic complex full details of its geology are in a pdf file here. The board describes how ben hiant is the flank of a volcano, formed around 60 million years ago. Posted by true highlands in kit and caboodle 2 comments. Geology of the ben hiant dolerite and the surrounding host rock, combining new observations and previous work by richey and. Please note that tents, tourers, campervans and dogs are welcome but regretfully we are unable to take caravans.
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