Mollinsburn Road Cutting
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Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Carboniferous - Permian Igneous | Unfavourable Declining | — | 2026-03-23 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Carboniferous
Landscape processes: Volcanic / Igneous
Description
Mollinsburn Road Cutting Mollinsburn Road Cutting is located approximately 5km southwest of central Cumbernauld and consists of four discrete sections intersected by roads and a track. Among the manifestations of volcanic activity of Carboniferous age in Scotland, this site illustrates the finest example of a linear dyke swarm in Britain. The individual dykes share an overall east-west trend; the example excellently exposed at Mollinsburn – the Lenzie-Torphichen dyke, which has an average breadth of 40 metres – can be traced for more than 40 kilometres and is approximately 295 million years old. The dykes are basaltic in composition but show more chemical similarities to the great sill, which underlies much of the central Midland Valley of Scotland, than to the lavas.