Gairloch and Torridon Walking Holiday – Friday 24 to Wednesday 29 May 2024
The unforgettable scenery of the Wester Ross National Scenic Area is derived directly from an amazing array of geology that is superbly exposed on coastline and mountain-side. This includes ancient Lewisian gneiss, ground down to create the lumpy scenery towards the coast; the ancient Torridonian sandstone, formed on the fringe of a continent over a billion years ago, which gives the mountains their hue and structure; and layers of sparkling quartzite and other, younger rocks. To the east lies a vast slab of metamorphic rock, pushed into place along the Moine Thrust, and moving and crumpling some of the underlying layers. The story is laid out clearly for us to see, with mountain-scale faults and disruptions that make the immense geological forces almost understandable …
This is a two-centre holiday, in Gairloch for two nights and Glen Torridon for three nights. This gives access to a superb range of geology in day walks exploring the coast and the lower slopes of the mountains, walking 5-10 miles each day on mountain paths. Although this is rough terrain, the focus is on exploring the best and most accessible parts of the geological story rather than conquering the peaks!
The trip will include a variety of walks on the coast near Gairloch, the Beinn Eighe Nature Reserve, and an exploration of a little known area between Torridon and Kishorn (the great place to explore the complex deformation found beneath the Moine Thrust, with mountainsides of bare rock cut by thrusts.
Further details and booking – Holiday Information Sheet.
Isle of Rum Rock & Run – Monday 22 to Friday 26 April 2024
