Barron, H F, Gillespie, M R and Merritt, J W 2011. Geodiversity of the Cairngorms National Park. British Geological Survey Open Report, OR/10/019
A PDF of this report is available from the NORA, the NERC archive
Site no.: B2
Site name: Atholl–Mar
Grid reference:
Locality: The hill country between Blair Atholl and Braemar
GCR Status: N/A
GCR No.: N/A
Type: Natural exposures and Natural landforms
Description: The area is underlain by strongly folded and lithologically diverse strata of the Dalradian Supergroup, and the rugged landscape reflects the unequal response to erosion of the different rock types. Most notably, folded layers of quartzite (an extremely hard rock that is highly resistant to erosion) underlie most of the highest summits, including nearly all the Munros (e.g. Beinn a' Ghlo, Carn an Righ, Beinn Iutharn Mhor, An Socach, Carn Bhac). Pale quartzite scree draping high summits and ridges is a distinctive feature of the landscape in the area.
Justification: A good example of bedrock control on large-scale landscape evolution.