Elie - Anstruther
Geological Conservation Review site | GCR #1569 | Stratigraphy | Dinantian 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.
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Summary
A key site for stratigraphic studies of Dinantian (Lower Carboniferous) rocks in Scotland showing an almost complete Calciferous Sandstone to basal Limestone Coal Group succession. The section includes the upper Anstruther Beds, Pittenweem Beds, Sandy Craig Beds, Pathhead Beds, Lower Limestone Group and Limestone Coal Measures, in which a succession of faunas may be studied. The site shows a range of facies variations and sedimentary structures, including penecontemporaneous limestone weathering, and trace fossils. It also shows a thicker succession than more northerly localities in Fife, with more marine bands present. This is also a key locality for palynological (spore) studies in the Scottish Dinantian.
Related geosites
Overlaps with
Aerial photograph of Anstruther looking west. Folded non-marine sediments of the Carboniferous Strathclyde Group.
Dave Longstaff
June 9, 2008
NO 5721 0315
Elie Rubies, Pyrope garnet brought to the surface to the west of Lady's Tower.
The garnets are xenocrysts in the vent agglomerate at Elie and may have travelled from the mantle from depths of greater than 75km.
Dave Longstaff
April 18, 2024
NT 4970 9932
Lady's Tower, Elie, visible lower left of photograph looking northeast.
St Monans White limestone syncline.and volcanics nearer tower.
Dave Longstaff
June 9, 2008
NT 5002 9941
Kincraig Hill and Kincraig Point from the air looking north. Bedded tuffs visible on wave-cut platform. This photo shows the situation of the Elie Chain Walk
Dave Longstaff
June 9, 2008
NT 4601 9959
St Monans fron the air looking northeast. Faulting in lower Carboniferous sediments.
Dave Longstaff
June 9, 2008
NO 5231 0117
Pitenweem from the air looking west.
Thin beds of siltstone, mudstone and non-marine limestone of the Strathclyde Group.
Dave Longstaff
June 9, 2008
NO 5524 0229
Zoophycus markings
David Rae
April 16, 2024
NO 5294 0166
(bearing 001)
Skolithos burrows
David Rae
April 16, 2024
NO 5301 0169
(bearing 001)
U shaped worm burrows.
Diplocraterion
David Rae
April 16, 2024
NO 5311 0171
(bearing 001)
Sandstone with concretions. Cross bedding can be traced into concretion
David Rae
April 16, 2024
NO 5346 0183
(bearing 325)
Yellow efflorescence in coal seam
David Rae
April 16, 2024
NO 5366 0200
(bearing 045)
Lherzolite boulder just to west of larger outcrop which has suffered damage over the last 20 years. .
Dave Longstaff
April 13, 2024
NO 5073 0057
Basalt plug with peridotite (Lherzoloite) xenoliths
David Rae
April 13, 2024
NO 5107 0075
(bearing 350)
Coal with root? and seat earth below
David Rae
April 13, 2024
NO 5084 0058
(bearing 330)
Climbing ripples
David Rae
April 13, 2024
NO 5091 0060
(bearing 330)
Line of Ardross fault
David Rae
April 13, 2024
NO 5110 0066
(bearing 060)
Coalyard Hill Neck agglomerate
David Rae
April 13, 2024
NO 5128 0083
(bearing 150)
Syncline on foreshore
David Rae
April 13, 2024
NO 5171 0109
(bearing 150)
Carboniferous sediments with ironstone (lower left) in contact with tuff and both cut by white trap dyke.
(camera case at contact)
David Rae
April 13, 2024
NO 5173 0114
(bearing 240)
Convoluted bedding
David Rae
April 13, 2024
NO 5188 0115
(bearing 330)
Current Bedding
David Rae
April 13, 2024
NO 5196 0116
(bearing 330)
St Monans Neck. Agglomerate
David Rae
April 13, 2024
NO 5222 0129
(bearing 270)
St. Monans Neck. Dyke en echelon in tuff.
David Rae
April 13, 2024
NO 5213 0129
(bearing 001)