Dippin Head
Also within
Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Tertiary Igneous | Favourable | — | 2009-02-20 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Paleogene
Landscape processes: Volcanic / Igneous
Description
DIPPIN HEAD The sill of Dippin Head, lying 2km south of Whiting Bay on Arran, has been the subject of recent detailed investigation, based on drill cores taken throughout its thickness, and these have revealed a complicated crystallisation history of the parental magma before, during and after emplacement, which took place during the Tertiary geological period, which occurred about 60 million years ago. Massive basic sills form an important component of the Palaeogene Volcanic Province in Arran and Skye but are poorly represented elsewhere. The sills have long been known to vary internally in the proportions and composition of their minerals and such variations have formed an essential testing ground for the development of theories relating to the processes of magmatic evolution.