Fraserburgh to Rosehearty
Geological Conservation Review site | GCR #2489 | Structural and Metamorphic Geology | Dalradian
Scotland's geosites are chosen because of their local, national or international importance. Take only photos, leave only footprints: avoid causing any damage to this site. You can walk almost anywhere in Scotland without the need to ask permission or keep to paths, but you have a responsibility to care for your own safety, to respect people's privacy and peace of mind and to cause no damage.
This site is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is an offence to intentionally or recklessly damage the protected natural features of a SSSI, and this includes unauthorised sample collection.
The right of access does not extend to quarries, building sites or any land where public access is prohibited, or to the collection of geological samples.
Summary
This coastal site is of the highest stratigraphical, structural and petrological interest. It contains rocks exhibiting classic Buchan-type regional metamorphism, displaying sedimentary and tectonic structures which enable the elucidation of the major structure of the area.
This site contains the best localities in the Buchan area displaying the Kinnaird Head Group and the Rosehearty Group which are correlated respectively with the Lower Whitehills Group (Tayvallich Subgroup, Argyll Dalradian) and the Boyndie Bay Group (Lower Southern Highlands Group) of the Banffshire Dalradian. Structurally these rocks lie in the western limb of a late open fold, the Buchan anticline. There are three sections to the site: Kinnaird Head This section exposes the Kinnaird Head group (Tayvallich Subgroup) of right-way-up (ie showing sedimentary structures which show whether they are inverted) pelitic to quartzitic schists with graded bedding and prominent calcareous bands which show folds overturned to the west. Sandhaven to Pittulie Here there are excellent exposures of porphyroblastic andalusite schists, and of graded pebbly beds of the Rosehearty Group, immediately west of Sandhaven harbour. Again there are folds overturned to the west with well-developed bedding-cleavage relationships. Bay of Lochielair In this section, mainly pebbly beds of the Rosehearty Group are exposed which are in the inverted limb of an overturned anticline, a fact indicated by graded bedding and cleavage-bedding relationships. This site is of the highest stratigraphical, structural and petrological interest. It contains rocks exhibiting the classsic Buchan type of regional metamorphism displaying small-scale sedimentary and tectonic structures which enable the elucidation of the major structure of the area.
Site information
Access
The field guide by Johnson and Kneller gives access details for the Fraserburgh end of the section. At present (autumn 2024) it is not possible to walk from locality 7 to 8 and 9 because of landslips on the path by the Wine Tower. One can drive round by Bath Street to a car park at Lackie Head NK00036744. At Pittulie, east of Sandhaven, there is parking along the main road and alleyways either end of the village give access to the shore. At Rosehearty there is a signposted picnic area at NJ92726764.
Further information
https://geoguide.scottishgeologytrust.org/p/ags/ags06/ags_e…
Field Guide to the Dalradian of Fraserburgh
Related geosites
Overlaps with:
Carol Pudsey
Sept. 23, 2024
Open folding in turbidites, west of Rosehearty. Field of view about 20m across.
Carol Pudsey
Sept. 23, 2024
Thin turbidites of the Rosehearty Formation, now cordierite schist with a thin laminated psammite layer.
Carol Pudsey
Sept. 23, 2024
Thick turbidites, now psammites grading to cordierite schists, Rosehearty. Younging to left (northwest).
Carol Pudsey
Sept. 23, 2024
Thick turbidites of the Rosehearty Formation, Pittulie foreshore, with a close-up of a slightly erosive base.
Carol Pudsey
Sept. 23, 2024
General view of the Meikle Bawdley foreshore, localities 3-4 in field guide. Isoclinal fold in the foreground.
Carol Pudsey
Sept. 23, 2024
Turbiditic sandstones and siltstones: sharp to slightly erosive bases of beds with rip-up clasts and elongated load/flame structures, locality 4.
Carol Pudsey
Sept. 23, 2024
Broadsea shore, a sheet of pink granite, locality 5.
Carol Pudsey
Sept. 25, 2024
An F1 fold refolded by F3, near the foghorn at Kinnaird Head, locality 7.
Carol Pudsey
Sept. 25, 2024
Kinnaird Head and the Wine Tower, locality 8. A large wave breaking over the metavolcanic crag in the bay. Pinkish granite and pegmatite sheets in the cliffs under the Wine Tower.
Carol Pudsey
Sept. 25, 2024
Isoclinal folds in calcareous and semipelitic schists, Lackie Head, locality 9.