The Alternative Unconformity

Since it was about 8:30pm we decided not to clamber down to it, as we were losing the light. Instead we climbed over the top to view the classic Siccar Point example of the unconformity.

Hutton's Unconformity

Again, since we were pressed for time and the cliff was in shadow we decided not to climb down and look at it close up. Instead we spent time posing for photos holding the unconformity:

Hutton's UC

Finally we walked back down the way we were supposed to have come up, stopping to look at the helpful sign explaining the whole thing.

Info Board

We then drove back up to Galashiels, and spent the night playing Guitar Hero.

10:10 AM Apr 12th : Packed up and heading for the ferry terminal. Folk are looking rather weathered. – RJ

I think I speak for all of the students there in saying that it was a fantastic trip; both for the geology, and simply for the fun times we had. No account of this trip would be complete without thanking the people who made it possible, so here we are:

Firstly, a big thanks to the staff members involved. They taught us a lot, and put up with a lot:

• Dr. John Faithfull – The Man with the Tunes
• Dr. Vernon Phoenix – An endless source of excellent quotes
• Dr. Fiona Meade – An exciting driver ;)
• Jannik Kremer
• Euan Macrae

Next, Tom and Sheila at the Shorehouse. Without whom the trip wouldn’t be possible (and who also put up with 40-odd noisy students for a week).

The Arran Distillery and Arran brewery; for their excellent tours, and even better free samples.

…and the local pubs, whose alcohol supply has been severely depleted.

The liveblogging effort also owes its thanks to several individuals and organisations:

Dr. Gordon Curry, for setting the plan in motion.

Twitter, Twitterific and Hashtags for providing the software service used.

and Apple, for making my iPhone (and generally employing me – UK Uni Students and Staff can get a discount here)

Finally, no trip to Arran would be complete without thanking the excellent geologists who’ve worked there over the years. Too many to mention, but James Hutton floats to the top of the list.

Thank you dear reader for reading my account of the trip; I hope it was at least somewhat entertaining. I’ll leave you with my favourite photo from the trip:

Almost looks tropical

8:23 AM Apr 7th : Early morning in Arran. Weather is truly horrendous. Rain sloshing down, time for porridge. – RJ

8:34 AM Apr 7th : Just waking up and I’m sure there will be some sore heads today. weather is pretty awful but should be another fun filled geoliday. – HS

10:07 AM Apr 7th : Fiona has reversed into a ditch. – RJ

I think there were more photos of this event taken than of any rock outcrops.

Whoops...

11:25 AM Apr 7th : Mapping Dalradian psammite along the river. – RJ

North Glen Sannox – a quick stop, we came back here later in the week to look at the Highland Border Complex nearby.

Starting to get very wet out here...

1:59 PM Apr 7th : Coming down from looking at paleogene granite, standing on some dalradian meta-sediments.  – RJ

We walked up from Catacol, heading inland over Dalradian Rocks to the Northern Granite intrusion in the centre of the island.

Note the Quaternary glacial landforms...

Next we headed along to Lochranza.

3:32 PM Apr 7th : Mapping another beach, still looking at Dalradian psammites and pelites. – RJ

Lochranza in the Background

4:51 PM Apr 7th : We’re at Hutton’s Unconformity. It’s not quite as impressive as the one at Siccar point. – RJ

A brilliant geological site of historic import; but I come from the Borders originally and can occasionally be proud of that fact.

6:29 PM Apr 7th : The weather here is AWFUL. – RJ

Awful weather in Brodick

9:50 PM Apr 7th : Finished working for this evening; produced a geological map of the beach east of Lochranza. – RJ