Lynslie Burn
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Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Wenlock | Favourable | — | 2005-03-31 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Silurian
Description
Lynslie Burn The Lynslie Burn is a tributary of the Lyne Water, which runs into the north-west end of Baddinsgill Reservoir, 5 km north-north-east of West Linton. The Lynslie Burn SSSI includes sections of the Lynslie Burn, Lyne Water and the north shore of Baddinsgill Reservoir. The majority of the rock exposures for which the SSSI is of interest are found within the banks of the rivers and the reservoir. They formed in the Silurian time period (435 – 405 million years ago) and are part of a small area of Silurian rock called the North Esk Inlier. In the North Esk Inlier, the Wenlock Series (the period of the Silurian age 425 – 417 million years ago) is represented by the rock strata of the Henshaw Formation, including reddish-coloured sandstones known as ‘red beds’. The most complete section of this unit is found in a series of exposures stretching from the headwaters of Lynslie Burn to Baddinsgill Reservoir. This section has significance because it shows the early onset of sediments laid down under terrestrial conditions as opposed to those of marine origin, and therefore confirms the relatively early closure of the Iapetus Ocean in the Scottish area. This site is of importance in completing the regional palaeoenvironmental and palaeogeographic picture during mid-Silurian times.