Eyre Point
Also within
Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Permian - Triassic (red beds) | Unfavourable Declining | — | 2009-08-27 |
Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Triassic · Rock Type: Sandstone
Landscape processes: Coastal, Fluvial
Description
EYRE POINT Eyre Point Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) lies on the south-eastern coast of the Isle of Raasay, east of the Isle of Skye. This geological site holds important information on the Triassic environment of the Skye-Raasay area and western Scotland in general. An excellent succession within the Triassic age Stornoway Formation is encompassed within a raised-beach cliff. This succession rests unconformably on ‘Torridonian Sandstone’ and comprises a sequence of conglomerates sandwiched between red sandstones with calcretes, all deposited on large alluvial fans. These conglomerates are very poorly sorted with sedimentary structures such as imbrication and cross-bedding only poorly developed. Maximum particle size shows a significant correlation with bed thickness and this, along with the lack of basal erosion surfaces suggests these sediments were the product of debris-flows. This is an important site in the elucidation of sedimentary processes in alluvial fan environments, and for establishing the nature of Triassic deposition in western Scotland.