Ancient geology meets Edinburgh new-builds on a sunny Autumn morning. 340 million years ago molten rock was injected into Carboniferous layers of sedimentary rock. Subsequent glaciation has left these cliffs of dolerite and columnar basalt.
Commentary.
350 million years ago a significant part of Scotland was
positioned near the Equator due to Continental Drift.
At that time desert conditions would have prevailed
and seismic activity created volcanoes,
of which nearby Arthur’s Seat was a part.
Magma was injected between layers of Carboniferous Limestone.
On reaching the surface lava flows solidified into dykes and sills
in the form of Dolerite and Columnar Basalt that now forms
the 46 metre, 150-foot cliffs of Salisbury Crags.
Below the cliffs, popular with rock-climbers, are slopes of talus or scree up to 100 metres, 330 feet in height, largely produced by Ice-Ages in the last million years.
Salisbury Crags at 174 metres, 571 feet, and Arthur’s Seat, 251 metres, 823 feet, provide superb views over the illustrious architecture of Edinburgh.
In this image Salisbury Crags loom over the Dynamic Earth Exhibition “Armadillo Building,” and part of the Scottish Parliament building.
A short distance, north-east, beyond this image, Holyrood Palace can also be appreciated very clearly from Salisbury Crags, as well as most key locations in the city.
Ancient geology meets Edinburgh new-builds on a sunny Autumn morning. 340 million years ago molten rock was injected into Carboniferous layers of sedimentary rock. Subsequent glaciation has left these cliffs of dolerite and columnar basalt.
Commentary.
350 million years ago a significant part of Scotland was
positioned near the Equator due to Continental Drift.
At that time desert conditions would have prevailed
and seismic activity created volcanoes,
of which nearby Arthur’s Seat was a part.
Magma was injected between layers of Carboniferous Limestone.
On reaching the surface lava flows solidified into dykes and sills
in the form of Dolerite and Columnar Basalt that now forms
the 46 metre, 150-foot cliffs of Salisbury Crags.
Below the cliffs, popular with rock-climbers, are slopes of talus or scree up to 100 metres, 330 feet in height, largely produced by Ice-Ages in the last million years.
Salisbury Crags at 174 metres, 571 feet, and Arthur’s Seat, 251 metres, 823 feet, provide superb views over the illustrious architecture of Edinburgh.
In this image Salisbury Crags loom over the Dynamic Earth Exhibition “Armadillo Building,” and part of the Scottish Parliament building.
A short distance, north-east, beyond this image, Holyrood Palace can also be appreciated very clearly from Salisbury Crags, as well as most key locations in the city.