Carsaig Arches

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Carsaig Arches

Carsaig Arches are natural arch cliff formations on the Ross of Mull in the south of the Isle of Mull, on the west coast of Scotland. They are situated below Malcolm's Point, [1] at the base of the Rudha Fhaoilean cliffs. [2] To the east are Carsaig Bay, [3] and Eas na Dabhaich.

Natural arch A natural rock formation where a rock arch forms

A natural arch, natural bridge, or rock arch is a natural rock formation where an arch has formed with an opening underneath. Natural arches commonly form where inland cliffs, coastal cliffs, fins or stacks are subject to erosion from the sea, rivers or weathering.

Ross of Mull Scottish peninsula

The Ross of Mull is the largest peninsula of the Isle of Mull, about 28 kilometres (17 mi) long, and makes up the south-western part of the island. It is bounded to the north by Loch Scridain and to the south by the Firth of Lorne. The main villages are Bunessan and Fionnphort, with smaller settlements including Ardtun, Camas, Carsaig, Knockan, Pennyghael and Uisken. Knocknafenaig, Suidhe, and Shiaba are three of the many cleared settlements on the Ross.

Isle of Mull island of the Inner Hebrides, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland

The Isle of Mull or just Mull is the second-largest island of the Inner Hebrides and lies off the west coast of Scotland in the council area of Argyll and Bute.

The coastal cliff formations are the result of the erosion of oolitic rock beds located to the west of the entrance to Loch Bay. [4] Reached via a road from the Carsaig Pier, the track is strewn with volcanic rocks and boulders and involves about 4 miles of walking to reach it.

Oolite Sedimentary rock formed from ooids

Oolite or oölite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains composed of concentric layers. The name derives from the Ancient Greek word ᾠόν for egg. Strictly, oolites consist of ooids of 0.25–2 millimetres' diameter; rocks composed of ooids larger than 2 mm are called pisolites. The term oolith can refer to oolite or individual ooids.

The first arch is visible at the end of the trek while descending from the ridge and looks as if it is opening into the sea and the second one is hidden. The openings created by wave action have been likened to cave entrances that "lead to another planet." [5] They are most easily approached during low tides. [6] Of the two arches seen below the cliff, one has been described as being like a railway tunnel "deep and dark" and the other rises high and overlain by debris which is conjectured as being of an earlier collapsed arch. [7] One of the formations is a pyramidal mass of rock, perforated through the middle by an unusually shaped arch (called the "keyhole" [1] ), and surmounted by the solitary shaft of a basaltic pillar. Another arch ("tunnel") is massive, with columnar basalts appearing to hang from the top. [1] ) It is 20 metres (66 ft) in height over a length of 43 metres (141 ft) with a width of 20 metres (66 ft). Wild goats, golden eagles, breeding fulmars, and kittiwakes frequent the area. [6]

Golden eagle species of bird of prey

The golden eagle is one of the best-known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. These birds are dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on their napes. Immature eagles of this species typically have white on the tail and often have white markings on the wings. Golden eagles use their agility and speed combined with powerful feet and massive, sharp talons to snatch up a variety of prey, mainly hares, rabbits, and marmots and other ground squirrels.

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Mweelrea Mountain in Mayo, Ireland

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Camaderry Mountain in Wicklow, Ireland

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Cloghernagh Mountain in Wicklow, Ireland

Cloghernagh at 800 metres (2,600 ft), does not have the prominence to qualify as an Arderin, but does have the prominence to be the 40th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale. Cloghernagh is situated in the southern sector of the Wicklow Mountains range, and is part of the large massif of Lugnaquilla 925 metres (3,035 ft), Wicklow's highest mountain.

Benleagh Mountain in Wicklow, Ireland

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Eas na Dabhaich

Eas na Dabhaich is a waterfall on the Isle of Mull in Scotland. The falls lie on a burn that flows from Loch Fraing on the Ross of Mull over high cliffs above Carsaig Bay. There are several more unnamed waterfalls above and along the 200 metres (660 ft) cliffs that stretch from east of Carsaig along to Malcolm's Point and the Carsaig Arches 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to the west where they are called Aoineadh Mòr and beyond where the height is reduced to about 130 metres (430 ft) and they are known as Aoineadh Beag.

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Dùn da Ghaoithe is the second highest mountain on the Isle of Mull, western Scotland, and the island's only Corbett. It reaches 766 metres (2,513 ft) high, but "its long ridge and deep corries make it seem far higher". It boasts sea views "in almost every direction", and is the main mountain seen by visitors to the island on leaving the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry from Oban at Craignure.

Pennyghael village in the United Kingdom

Pennyghael is a small village in the Ross of Mull, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is located along the A849 road aligned along the coast line of Ross, on Loch Scridain in southwestern Mull, along the road to Bunessan. The Leidle River passes to the west of the village into the Loch.

Carsaig Bay waterway on the west coast of Scotland

Carsaig Bay is a cove on the Ross of Mull in the south of the Isle of Mull, on the west coast of Scotland. It is situated 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) eastward of Rudha Fhaoilean, and 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) south of Pennyghael along a "narrow unclassified road". The bay is small and is surrounded by high, precipitous hills. It is unsafe for water craft, except in the part sheltered by the island of Gamhnach Mhòr, where small vessels can obtain anchorage. The northeastern part of Carsaig Bay is rocky and foul from 180–370 metres (590–1,210 ft) offshore from the eastern end of Gamhnach Mhòr to the head of the bay. Three of the rocks are marked by perches to facilitate the approach to Carsaig Quay. The tidal streams along the south coast of Mull are weak westward of Carsaig Bay.

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Croaghanmoira Mountain in Wicklow, Ireland

Croaghanmoira at 664 metres (2,178 ft), is the 136th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 165th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale. Croaghanmoira is situated in the far south-east corner of the Wicklow Mountains range, and sits on its own small massif with several other lesser but well known peaks, separated from the nearby larger massif of Lugnaquilla by the Laragh to Aghavannagh road; the summit of Croaghanmoira has a distinctive "pyramidal" profile.

Ben Lugmore Mountain in Mayo, Ireland

Ben Lugmore at 803 metres (2,635 ft), is the 29th-highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 37th-highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale. Ben Lugmore is situated in a "horseshoe-shaped" massif that includes the slightly higher peak of Mweelrea 814 metres (2,671 ft), the highest mountain in Connacht, which is located between Killary Harbour and Doo Lough, in Mayo, Ireland. Ben Lugmore is noted for its long summit ridge, that forms the deep cliff-lined headwall around the corrie of Lug More.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Lonely Planet; Neil Wilson (2012). Lonely Planet Scotland's Highlands & Islands. Lonely Planet. pp. 127–. ISBN   978-1-74220-688-2.
  2. ↑ Great Britain. Hydrographic Dept (1911). West Coast of Scotland Pilot. Hydrographic Department, Admiralty. pp. 166–.
  3. ↑ Wilson, Neil; Murphy, Alan (2010). Scotland. Lonely Planet. pp. 307–. ISBN   978-1-74220-374-4.
  4. ↑ James W. Miller (1877). Miller's royal tourist handbook to the Highlands and Islands. pp. 5–.
  5. ↑ Mull, Iona and Staffa. Frances Lincoln Ltd. 2011. pp. 49–. ISBN   978-0-7112-2902-0.
  6. 1 2 Marsh, Terry (2011). The Isle of en Mull. Cicerone Press Limited. pp. 153–. ISBN   978-1-84965-389-3.
  7. ↑ Roger Redfern (1998). Walking in the Hebrides. Cicerone Press Limited. pp. 72–. ISBN   978-1-85284-263-5.

Coordinates: 56°17′35″N6°03′09″W / 56.293108°N 6.052436°W / 56.293108; -6.052436

Geographic coordinate system Coordinate system

A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position and two or three of the numbers represent a horizontal position; alternatively, a geographic position may be expressed in a combined three-dimensional Cartesian vector. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation. To specify a location on a plane requires a map projection.

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