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May 15, 2006
Highlands and Lowlands
Loch Lomond is situated right at the Highland Boundary Fault which marks the border between Highlands and Lowlands in the West of Scotland. The photo below was taken at the south bank of Loch Lomond catching a first glimpse of the Highlands.
Loch Lomond in the morning with a snow capped Ben Lomond at the back
The change in the landscape between Lowlands and Highlands is quite abrupt and reflects their different geological histories. The rather bare looking mountains of the Highlands were carved out of so called Dalradian rock, named after the ancient Scots kingdom Dalradia. These were originally marine sands, muds lime-rich deposits and layers of volcanic ash. Being buried between 15 to 20 km below the earth surfac they were altered by heat and pressure. Increased pressure and temperatures around 600 deg C brought about the formation of new minerals and sands and muds were transformed into hard cleaved rocks such as slates, phyllites and schists. Earth movements in this area known as the Caledonian Orogeny or mountain building event formed the Highland mountains. In much the same way the Himalaya and the Alps have been formed more recently. It is quite fascinating to know that at the time the Highland mountains were formed Scotland lay south of the equator and belonged to Laurentia, a large continent that subsequently fragmented into eastern North America, Greenland and Scotland.
The Lowlands are more like a basin into which thick layers of Devonian and then Carboniferous sedimentary and volcanic rocks were deposited. The glaciers from the last ice age also took part in shaping the landscape.
Loch Lomond is a beautiful area to explore but can be subjected to quite sudden weather changes. Having climbed half way up a hill on the east side of the Loch we were suddenly surprised by a rain cloud.
The cloud went as swiftly as it had come upon us
Except for the Western Hebrides rain is almost always "just a shower" in Scotland. Having endured a few minutes of refreshing raindrops and a lively breeze the sun was back and with it a breathtaking view of the Loch and Mountains.
View across to the northwest end of the Loch
Posted by Mausi at May 15, 2006 08:44 PM
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