North West Highlands Geopark (2016) North West Highlands Geopark Geodiversity Audit and Action Plan 2013–2016
Additional notes: These web pages are sourced from the PDF North West Highlands Geopark Geodiversity Audit and Action Plan 2013–2016
NWHG Ref. 047 — Creag na h-Innse Ruaidhe
Location, grid reference
The site is located on rising ground to the north-east of Cam Loch, closer to its eastern end, Grid Ref.
GCR site reference, block, volume and notified feature of SSSI?
GCR Ref. 1223, Caledonian Igneous Block, Vol. 17. Notified feature of Cam Loch SSSI.
Description and geological significance
The site contains an exposure of a red “grorudite” dyke, about 1 m thick, which is representative of the grorudite suite of dykes in one of the outliers (klippen) of the Ben More Nappe, demonstrating an important structural relationship.
Accessibility
The site is located on a remote hillside on the north-east side of Cam Loch and is accessed via a rough track leading from the A 835 road bridge over the Ledbeg River, 2 km north-east from Elphin. There is thus no all abilities access.
Conservation
Low conservation requirement due to location of site.
Visibility and “clarity”
The grorudite dyke outcrop is not visible from the nearest road or the access track.
Interpretation and interpretation potential
There is no interpretation facility and the significance of the grorudite dyke is meaningful only to geology students and researchers. Interpretation potential is therefore low although the feature could be included in a future Geopark guide.
Key references
PARSONS, I. 1999. Late Ordovician to mid-Silutian alkaline intrusions of the North-west Highlands of Scotland. In Stephenson, D., Bevins, R. E., Milward, D., Highton, A. J., Parsons, I., Stone, P. & Wadsworth, W. J. (eds) Caledonian Igneous rocks of Great Britain. Geological Conservation Review Series, 17, Chapman & Hall, 345–393 . (site description page 381).