Gutcher
Also within
Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Moine | Favourable | — | 2005-03-31 |
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
Landscape processes: Coastal
Description
GUTCHER Gutcher SSSI consists of sea cliffs and foreshore rock exposures on both sides of the Wick of Gutcher in north east Yell. Yell is made of highly metamorphosed gneisses (crystalline rocks altered by high temperatures and pressures). Originally sedimentary rocks, they were partially melted in the course of their complex geological history. Although their geological affinities are uncertain, the rocks of Yell provide evidence essential to an appreciation of Shetland geology and to a deeper understanding of the ancient Caledonian Mountain Belt of Britain and Scandinavia. The rocks exposed at Gutcher are important because they include lithologies (rock types) which are strikingly similar to those found in parts of the Scottish Moine (the rocks which make up most of Scotland north of the great Glen). This does not necessarily mean that they are equivalent but it does form the basis for further scientific research. The rocks around Gutcher are probably representative of the Glenfinnan Division of the Moine.