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Residential Trips 2005
Isle of Eigg - 20-24 May 2005
What a great trip! Thanks to everyone who came along, it was a great blend of good rocks, lovely people and unbelievable weather, a special experience and one not to be forgotten.
We had a lovely afternoon scrambling along the rocks from Laig Bay to the Singing Sands, with lots of concretions and cross-cutting dykes in the sandstones. And a great finale to the trip when most of us viewed the columns of the Sgurr pitchstone from various angles, with crystal-clear views from the summit in all directions.
We stayed at the Glebe Barn, very comfortable accommodation that is highly recommended, and travelled to and from Eigg on the Sheerwater from Arisaig, porpoise viewing included free of charge.
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Northwest Highlands Sunday 3 to Saturday 9 July 2005
In
the Northwest Highlands, Scotland's best geology is laid out before us: great
expanses of sandstone, quartzite and a sliver of limestone lie on top of the ancient
gneiss. These rocks have been caught up in the Caledonian Orogeny, when a great
slab of hard metamorphic rocks - the Moine Schist - were pushed on top of younger
rocks. This thrusting movement has deformed and displaced the underlying rocks.
This was a fantastic trip, with glorious sunshine (most of the time) and a varied programme that took us to the top of Conival, to Sandwood Bay, and around the Summer Isles by boat.
We stayed at the Assynt Field Centre, Inchnadamph. Highly recommended, superb accommodation at a good price, a great location for exploring the geology and a relaxed atmosphere. Further details.
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Our trip began at Knockan Crag, a great place to appreciate the story of the area. Views of Stac Pollaidh led us westward, where we walked round the mountain enjoying the Lewisian Gneiss and majestic Suilven to the north. After a tea and cake stop, our first day finished exploring the rocks above Ullapool, where all the main rocks of the area are found in more or less the right order. |
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Grey skies didn't stop us from enjoying the wonders of Traligill River, and the only disappointment was not to get a view from the summit of Conival. The sun came out for us the next morning during a cruise round the Summer Isles with Bill Wilder, and a romp through the heather on Tanera Mor (with just enough time for tea and scones!). |
| The beach at Achmelvich held us spellbound, and not just by the sight of Walter swimming. The rocks and super-white sand in the sunshine are quite indescribable. |
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Heading northwards towards the end of the week gave us a good opportunity to appreciate the scale of thrusting beneath the Moine Thrust, with a view of the Glencoul Thrust. Onwards to Sandwood Bay, for more unbelievable rock art. Tea without cake on the way home, unusually! |
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Our final day took us to the Bone Caves, and more limestone scenery. Then it was time for a bit of revelry and the end of trip quiz. Do you know the first names of Peach and Horne? |  |
Eigg & Rum Families Journey Wednesday 27 July to Tuesday 2 August 2005
A fantastic week exploring these contrasting islands, as part of the John Muir Trust Activities Programme. This trip for families introduced us to many different aspects of the islands, from the rocks to the wild flowers, butterflies and birds, including a very special opportunity to visit the Shearwater colony on Rum. Oh yes, and we discovered the Rum midgies too!
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