West Coast of Jura
Geological Conservation Review site | GCR #224 | Geomorphology | Coastal Geomorphology of Scotland
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
The prime geomorphological interest of the coastline of Jura is the magnificent series of raised shingle beaches and terraces, wave-cut rock platforms and cliff features including some of the most extensive areas of raised shoreline shingle bars and terraces to be found anywhere in western Europe. However, there are several small pockets of beach, dune and machair which, whilst not of the highest geomorphological importance viewed in isolation, form essential integral parts of the coastline as a whole and, despite their small scale, show remarkably diverse and dynamic forms. Of these, Corpach is the area of greatest intrinsic physiographic value and is an example of the comparatively rare confined cliff-foot type of machair. The close morphological relationship between these comparatively young coastal elements and the fossil coastline features gives exceptional potential for studying the chronology of coastal evolution in Scotland over a relatively long period of time. One of Britain's most important geomorphological localities.
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