Skip to main content
Wild About Lochaber

Wild About Lochaber

where great adventures begin...

Search form

Menu

  • Home
  • Explore
    • Wild Lochaber
    • Ardnamurchan, Moidart & Morvern
    • Fort William and Glen Nevis
    • Glencoe and Loch Leven
    • The Road To The Isles
    • #WildLochaber Photo Gallery
  • Accommodation
    • Self Catering
    • Caravan & Campsites
    • Hotels and B&Bs
  • Walking
    • Map of All Walks
    • Ardnamurchan and Moidart
    • Arisaig Mallaig and Glenfinnan
    • Fort William and Glen Nevis
    • Glencoe, Loch Leven & Argyll
  • Wildlife
    • Map of Wildlife Sites
    • Wildlife Experiences
    • Wildlife Habitats
  • Things To Do
    • Activity Providers
    • Beaches
    • Castles
    • Destinations
    • Gardens
    • Geology
    • Geopark Rock Route
    • Historic Attractions
    • Museums and Interpretation
    • Railways
    • Wildlife Experiences
    • Wildlife Hotspots
  • Travel
    • Electric Vehicle Charging Points
    • Ferries
    • Petrol Stations
    • The Caledonian Sleeper
  • What's On
    • Calendar
    • Arts, Culture and Community Events
    • Family Friendly Events
    • Walking Events
    • Wildlife & Geology Events
    • Events on Discover Glencoe
    • Road to The Isles & Ardnamurchan
  • Blogs
    • Ardnamurchan Area Blogs
    • Glencoe Area Blogs
    • Lochaber Blogs
    • West Coast Island Blogs
    • Wild About Lochaber Blog

Lochaber Geopark Rock Route

  • List View(active tab)
  • Map View

The Highlands has a rich, long and complex geological history dominated by the collision of tectonic plates, and involving uplift and mountain building, volcanic eruptions, glaciations events, and long periods of erosion and deposition, as well as extensive metamorphism of pre-existing rocks. This has resulted in three distinct terranes; Grampian Terrane, Northern Highland Terrane and the Hebridean Terrane, each characterised by different geological histories and rock types.

Lochaber’s geological history is recorded in rocks that spans over 570 million year ago, with the some of the oldest rocks in Lochaber being associated with the Moine Thrust. It encompasses two of the terranes, the Northern Highland Terrane and the Grampian Terrane, and contains four ancient volcanoes, delivering an exceptionally varied geodiversity and an outstanding geomorphology.

The Geopark Rock Routes have been produced by The Lochaber Geopark Association, an organisation concerned with promoting the geology and geomorphology of Lochaber.

The Lochaber Geopark Association has grouped the interpretation boards into five themed routes, which include volcanoes (western and eastern), mountain building, glaciations and strata and fossils. There are also six regional routes (Geotrails) that include various combinations of the interpretation boards. These include Ardnamurchan, Glen Coe, Glen Nevis, Glen Roy, Loch Leven, Morvern, Road to the Isles, Strontian and The Small Isles. Details of each of these Geotrails can be found at Lochaber Geopark website and as leaflets in Tourist Information and Visitor Centres.

A great set of resources to immerse yourself in the outstanding geology and scenery of Lochaber.

Geopark Rock Route 1 - Sanna Bay

 (Ardnamurchan)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 1

The Lochaber Geopark board describes the Great Eucrite ring complex centred around Achnaha.  The ring complex consists of ring of Eucrite hills and marks the position of a subterranean magma chamber and its feeder pipe.  Three ring complexes were described on the Ardnamurchan peninsula by J.E....

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/1-sanna-bay

Geopark Rock Route 2 - Commando Memorial

 (Spean Bridge)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 2

An excellent interpretation board on the formation of the Ben Nevis Range and the Grey Corries.  The boards explains how these mountain ranges were formed by the collision of two plates,  melting and the subsequent  sculpturing of the landforms by ice.   The interpretation board identifies the...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/2-commando-memorial

Geopark Rock Route 3 - Trislaig

 (Ardgour)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 3

The interpretation board is located in the car park of the village hall in Trislaig.  The interpretation board is sited to provide fine views of the Ben Nevis Range (Aonach Mor, Car Mòr Dearg and Ben Nevis), as well as Cow Hill and Fort William.   The board describes the formation of the Ben...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/3-trislaig

Geopark Rock Route 4 - Glen Nevis

 (Glen Nevis)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 4

This excellent interpretation board describes the origins of the Ben Nevis, the remains of a volcano that erupted over 400 million years ago during the collision of two continental plates.   The board describes how Ben Nevis is composed of both igneous and Dalradian metamorphic rocks, including...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/4-glen-nevis

Geopark Rock Route 5 - Loch Lochy

 (Spean Bridge)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 5

This geological board describes the origin and importance of the Great Glen.

The Highlands are divided by the Great Glen into the Northern Highlands and the Grampian Highlands.  The Northern Highland terrane is composed of Moine Supergroup, rocks that were originally laid down as...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/5-loch-lochy

Geopark Rock Route 6 - Lochaline

 (Morvern)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 6

An excellent interpretation board exploring the effect of volcanoes and shifting continental plates on the geology and topography of Morvern.   Repeated lava flows have shaped the landscape of Morvern resulting in  ‘trap topography’, very much evident around Loch Aline.  The interpretation board...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/6-lochaline

Geopark Rock Route 7 - Camusnagaul

 (Ardgour)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 7

A fascinating board describing the impact of the Great Glen Fault on the geology and topography of Lochaber.  The Great Glen Fault, aligned north-east to southwest, separates rocks of the Moine Supergroup on the west (Northern Highland terrane) from rocks of the Dalradian Supergroup in the east...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/7-camusnagaul

Geopark Rock Route 8 - Kilchoan

 (Ardnamurchan)
Inside Ardnamurchan

This board focuses on the Ardnamurchan volcano and the surrounding geology.  Ardnamurchan is renowned for its ‘ring complex’ and consists of three overlapping volcanic ‘centres’.  Each of the centres has sequentially served as a magma feeder pipe in the distant past.  A diagram shows the...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/8-kilchoan

Geopark Rock Route 9 - Ben Hiant

 (Ardnamurchan)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 9

An interesting interpretation board providing an oversight of the geology of the region with reference to origins of Ben Hiant, a mountain which rises  to a height of 528m and dominates the Ardnamurchan peninsula.  This interpretation describes the geology of Ben Hiant, and the important role...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/9-ben-hiant

Geopark Rock Route 10 - Lochaline Sand Mine

 (Morvern)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 10

A fascinating insight into the geology and topography around Loch Aline.  The rock types include volcanic lavas, Jurassic shales and limestones, and white silica-rich sandstones.  The sandstones were formed in shallow seas and represents a pure form of silica dioxide (SiO2) (silica)....

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/10-lochaline-sand-mine

Geopark Rock Route 11 - Glen Loy

 (Fort William)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 11

The interpretation board overlooks the north face of Ben Nevis and describes in detail the effects of glaciers, volcanoes and continental drift on the Nevis Range.

The board describes how the Nevis Range formed millions of years ago by the processes of mountain building and volcanic...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/11-glen-loy

Geopark Rock Route 12 - Ballachulish Quarry

 (Ballachulish)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 12

The board describes the origin and properties of slate and its uses in construction. 

Ballachulish slate is part of the Dalradain Supergroup, laid down as fine grained mudstone in anoxic conditions. The board describes how these shales were metamorphosed (involving  recystallisation) into...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/12-ballachulish-quarry

Geopark Rock Route 13 - Mallaig

 (Morar and Arisaig)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 13

The interpretation board focuses on the four ancient volcanoes that have been responsible for shaping the Inner Hebrides. These volcanoes were active 60 million years ago.

The board is sited to allow you to observe three of these much eroded  volcanoes (Ardnamurchan, Rum and Skye).  The...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/13-mallaig

Geopark Rock Route 14 - Morar

 (Morar and Arisaig)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 14

This interpretation board describes how volcanic activity has been responsible for formation of some of the most iconic features on Skye such as the Black Cuillin Mountains and Red Hills of Skye.

Similarly the distinctive topography of Askival on Rum and the plateau on Eigg have volcanic...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/14-morar

Geopark Rock Route 15 - Corran (Onich)

 (Nether Lochaber)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 15

An interesting board describing the enormous contribution of James Hutton to the field of geology. In the 18th Century Hutton argued, contrary to popular belief, that the Earth has been subject to a continual state of change (involving cycles of mountain building, volcanic activity,...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/15-corran-onich

Geopark Rock Route 16 - Corran (Ardgour)

 (Ardnamurchan)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 16

 The board describes the origin of the Great Glen, gouged out by ice along a fault line formed by an oblique collision of two continents (Laurentia and Avalonia) over 430 million year ago. 

The board describes how the fault is composed of crushed rock and extends in excess of 40 metres...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/16-corran-ardgour

Geopark Rock Route 17 - Sallachan Bay

 (Ardgour)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 17

The interpretation board is sited to provide good views of the volcanic caldera of Ben Nevis and Glen Coe.  These two volcanoes were formed 420 million years ago.   The board describes the formation of the two caldera and the importance of these two features to the landscape.

The board...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/17-sallachan-bay

Geopark Rock Route 18 - Loch Leven

 (Spean Bridge)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 18

This interpretation board describes the geology and topography of Glen Coe area, based around an ancient volcanic caldera.  The board describes how the caldera was formed over 420 million years ago involving circular faults and subsidence.  The geology of Glencoe caldera is shown as a...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/18-loch-leven

Geopark Rock Route 19 - Glen Roy

 (Spean Bridge)
Lochaber Geopark Rock Route No 19

These two boards are sited in a small car park to provide a good overview of the Parallel Roads in Glen Roy, a world famous geological feature. The Parallel Roads refer to a series of parallel lines etched into the hillsides of the glen at 260 metres, 325 meters and 350 metres above sea level. ...

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/19-glen-roy

Geopark Rock Route 20 - Isle of Eigg

 (The Small Isles)
A World of Volcanoes and Warm Lagoons

The Sgurr of Eigg

Read more

Source: www.wildlochaber.com/geopark-rock-route/20-isle-eigg

Things To Do

  • Things To Do
  • Activity Providers
  • Beaches
  • Castles
  • Destinations
  • Gardens
  • Geology
  • Geopark Rock Route
  • Historic Attractions
  • Museums and Interpretation
  • Railways
  • Wildlife Experiences
  • Wildlife Hotspots

Glencoe

Discover Glencoe

Glencoe and Loch Leven

>>

Walking

Walking

Take a Walk on The Wild Side...

with over 100 wildlife focused walks across Lochaber, you'll be spoilt for choice

>>

Fort William

Fort William

Fort William, The Outdoor Capital

>>

Wildlife

wildlife

Wildlife

Home to Scotland's Big Five, red deer, golden eagle, otter, red squirrel, seals and so much more. A Wildlife Adventure Awaits.

>>

Ardnamurchan

West Highland Peninsulas

Ardnamurchan and The West Highland Peninsulas

>>

Activities

Activities

Activities

kayaking, wildlife watching, cruising, cycling, golfing, climbing, skiing, slow adventures and many more things to do

>>

Road to The Isles

The Road to The Isles

The Road to The Isles

>>

Day Trips

Day trips

Day Trps

Take off for the day to see the puffins on The Treshnish Isles, A Day trip to Mull, Skye, The Small Isles, The Most westerly point on the mainland and many more local ideas for a day out

>>

  • Advertising
  • Contact
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy

Photos and Content Copyright ©2011-2023 Wild About Lochaber - All Rights Reserved

  • Wild About Lochaber on YouTube
  • Wild About Lochaber on Pinterest
  • Wild About Lochaber on Instagram
  • Wild About Lochaber on FaceBook
  • Wild About Lochaber on Twitter
Share/Save