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Geology

The North West Highlands Geopark is unique. It was here that the Victorian geologists, John Horne and Benjamin Peach, proved that older rocks could be pushed (thrust) up and over younger rocks as seen in the Moine Thrust.

The oldest rocks (Lewisian Gneiss) to be found anywhere in Europe are here and at 3 billion years old they are pretty ancient!

Simple-celled algal forms (stromatalites), which occur in Torridonian sandstone strata dated at 1.2 billion years old,  are the  earliest evidence of life in Europe. 

Wherever you travel throughout the Geopark you will be surrounded by a spectacular  landscape: "The landscape is the geology and the geology is the landscape". 

A new £4 million visitor centre called "Scourie Rocks" has been proposed, to house the Shelley Collection. If this project goes ahead it will be a great addition to the area.

 

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