Moss of Cruden
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Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Quaternary of Scotland | Favourable | — | 2009-09-18 |
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: Neogene, Quaternary · Rock Type: Flint, Quartzite
Landscape processes: Coastal, Glacial, Periglacial
Description
Moss of Cruden The Moss of Cruden is located 11 km south-west of Peterhead. The site is the ‘type locality’ for a series of flint gravels (the Buchan Ridge Gravel Member) that, together with a series of quartzite gravels (the Windy Hills Gravel Member), form a unique set of deposits, the Buchan Gravels Formation, often known as the ‘Pliocene’ gravels of Buchan. The age and origin of these deposits have long been a source of scientific study and debate. Current interpretations suggest that the Moss of Cruden gravels are either in situ Neogene beach deposits (possibly later fluvially reworked) or they were transported by rivers or glacial meltwaters during the Neogene or Early-Quaternary. Following deposition, the gravels were modified by a range of processes reflecting later changes in environmental conditions, including chemical weathering, glaciation and periglacial processes. Together with the quartzite gravels at Windy Hills, Moss of Cruden is of exceptional importance in providing a uniquely long record of some of the geomorphological processes and environmental conditions that have shaped the landscape of Scotland during and since the Neogene.