Geodha nan Sgiod

Coastal Feature, Headland, Point in Ross-shire

Scotland

Geodha nan Sgiod

Mangurstadh Coastline Looking South The cliffs here are spectacular and the Lewisian Gneiss makes for some great climbing. — Mangurstadh Coastline Looking South Credit: RIJones

Geodha nan Sgiod, located in Ross-shire, Scotland, is a prominent coastal feature known for its picturesque headland and point. Situated on the northwest coast of Scotland, this stunning geographical formation offers breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape and the vast Atlantic Ocean.

The headland of Geodha nan Sgiod stretches out into the sea, forming a natural barrier against the relentless waves. Its rocky cliffs rise steeply from the water, creating a dramatic and imposing sight. The headland is characterized by its rugged terrain and is adorned with vibrant vegetation, including hardy grasses and wildflowers that cling to the cliffs.

At the end of the headland, visitors will find the point of Geodha nan Sgiod. This point offers an unobstructed vista of the open ocean, providing a prime vantage point for witnessing the power and beauty of the Atlantic. The crashing waves against the rocks below and the cries of seabirds soaring overhead create a sensory experience that is both exhilarating and peaceful.

Geodha nan Sgiod is a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and photographers, attracting visitors from near and far. Its remote location and untouched beauty make it an ideal spot for those seeking solitude and a sense of connection with the natural world.

It is important to note that Geodha nan Sgiod can be challenging to access, as the terrain can be treacherous and the weather conditions unpredictable. Visitors are advised to come prepared with appropriate footwear and clothing, and to exercise caution when exploring this stunning coastal feature.

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Geodha nan Sgiod Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 58.187097/-7.0893815 or Grid Reference NB0133. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Mangurstadh Coastline Looking South

The cliffs here are spectacular and the Lewisian Gneiss makes for some great climbing.

RIJones

Eilean Molach

Showing the narrow gap between it and mainland Lewis.

JJM

Radio masts at Mangastra/Mhangarstaidh, Lewis, 1989

Compared to more recent images, it would appear a number of these buildings and one mast have been demolished in the intervening years.

Nigel Thompson

Tom

A small tidal island near Carnais.

Sandy Gerrard

Spring Squill (Scilla verna)

Surprisingly, given how exposed the headland at Mangarstadh is, and how scarce the soil, there was a carpet of stunted wildflowers including this Spring Squill.

Anne Burgess

Thrift (Armeria maritima)

A cushion of thrift provides a splash of colour on the bleak and windswept clifftop. The flower stalks are taller in more benign conditions, but here they are stunted by the wind and weather. I wonder whether any insects brave the wind to pollinate the flowers>

Anne Burgess

Gneiss Rocks

This headland is mostly composed of striped grey Lewisian gneiss. The sloping rock face behind the foreground rock is a thrust plane which dips towards the east.

Anne Burgess

Thrift in a Cleft

This Thrift plant has found a less exposed spot than NB0033 : Thrift (Armeria maritima), so has been able to grow into a more 'normal' shape. It is exploiting a crack in the inhospitable Lewisian gneiss, probably created by movement on the adjacent thrust.

Anne Burgess

Mangarstadh Head

Contrast the glassy surface of the rock pool, sheltered from the wind, with the surf crashing on the cliffs beyond. The rock surfaces sloping from lower left to upper right are the faces of thrust planes generated by tectonic movements some 430 million years ago.

Anne Burgess

Mangarstadh Head

Looking out from the cliffs at Mangarsatdh Head, the offshore rocks are whipping up surf in a strong westerly wind.

Anne Burgess

Sgeir an Tamna

This is the name given to the long offshore rock south-west of Mangurstadh Head. The pronounced slopes to landward are thrust planes created as rocks were pushed from left to right by tectonic movements.

Anne Burgess

Aird Mhangarstadh

Aird Mhangarstadh means 'the high point of Mangarstadh' and this view shows the disused telecommunications mast on the top of the Aird. If only the military were required to remove all traces of their ugly structures once they are no longer required!

Anne Burgess

Geo at Mangarstadh Head

The geo is formed along the line of one of the thrust planes in evidence here. The thrusts were the result of tectonic movements some 400 million years ago. Somewhere deep in the crust of the Earth, the sloping surface in the foreground was planed by other layers of rock which were pushed inexorably from left to right, grinding up the rocks in the thrust place to form a characteristic rock named mylonite.

Anne Burgess

Geo at Mangarstadh Head

The long inlet has been carved by the sea along the thrust plane, where the rocks have been weakened by the thrusting.

Anne Burgess

Clifftop at Aird MÃ²r Mangarstadh

Even though high above sea level, the force of storms is enough to prevent the cliff top here becoming vegetated. The slope in the foreground is the surface of a 400-million-year-old thrust, where rocks were pushed westwards during tectonic movements.

Anne Burgess

Aird MÃ²r Mangarstadh

This almost lunar landscape is the result of ancient earth movements. Rocks were thrust from left to right, and the rocks close to the thrust plane were ground fine and recrystallised into weaker material, which has then been eroded by the sea to form the dip to the left of the sloping layers on the right.

Anne Burgess

Geo at Mangarstadh Head

The long inlet has been carved by the sea along the line of a thrust plane, where the rocks have been weakened by the thrusting.

Anne Burgess

Druim Tarasgeo

This bare area was formed when storms destroyed the thin layer of vegetation covering the stony ground, and simply blew it away. On these cliff tops there are patches in all states from newly blown away to fully re-vegetated. The predominant plant is Thrift (Armeria maritima).

Anne Burgess

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Geodha nan Sgiod is located at Grid Ref: NB0133 (Lat: 58.187097, Lng: -7.0893815)

Unitary Authority: Na h-Eileanan an Iar

Police Authority: Highlands and Islands