And another trip to Iona
Posted: Monday, 01 October 2007 |
I am certainly seeing a lot of Iona these days. I was supposed to be setting up a couple of broadband routers, but guess what, neither line had been enabled for broadband. "Oh we dont have any record of the order - it must have got lost" Which I suppose is slightly better than, "what is the progress on our broadband order?" "Oh it was cancelled." I have experience both of these over the past few weeks, without any indication whatsoever that there was a problem. No letters, no phone, no email. No wonder people get really hacked off at "customer support" in the IT industry. It is dreadful to say the least.
What is needed is the online equivalent of "Chewin the Fat's "Big Man" - "IS THERE A PROBLEM???" Just realised I gave a plug for the 大象传媒 there.... Anyway rant over. So I went all the way to Iona to do a 2 day job and ended up twiddling my thumbs at 11 am.... nothing else for it.... looks like I am going to have to go for a stroll and look at some rocks..... shame really....
Actually, I needed to check out some potential field trip sites anyway ( I had intended going out early evening to do it) so this was a perfect opportunity.
There are some interesting rocks in the south west of Iona - its also an area that I dont think gets visited very often. Most people who do more than just visit the Abbey, will go to the Machair, or Columbas Bay. Maybe the Marble Quarry. And some will go to the beautiful white beaches at the north end.
But the SW corner....whats there?
Well you know that that is the cue for me to bore you rigid with a load of rock-geekery, dont you? Allow me to oblige. Here are the pics:
The weather was beautiful - a really nice day for being out and about. this is the view from the south end of the machair looking NW.
I wanted to look at the area round about the hill called Druim an Aoinidh, right on the SW corner. Apparently, according to the Geological Survey memoir to the area, there is an unusual rock called eclogite to be found there. Eclogite is a SERIOUSLY cool rock, and relatively rare, so finding this would be neat.
Easiest way to get to it was to take te Columbas Bay track and then head across the moor just beyond the loch. I came across a beautiful exposure of the Lewisian Gneiss near here:
And in close up, there was a band of green epidote running through it:
Moving on a bit, towards the west:
This is the bay below Druim an Aoinidh. There is a fault that runs right across it- that is what the V shaped cleft is. And it continues in the opposite direction as well.
This is the view looking down on the bay. The cleft is really obvious.
The summit of Druim an Aoinidh is not far away.
And this view, straight into the sun, was from the summit.
From here it was a case of looking around for this eclogite chappie. Not too sure if I found it or not - a bit of further research is needed. Anway, it was time to head back.
Loch Staoineag from the path back to the Machair:
And that was that.
looks like its back to Iona next week to finish the broadband job, so there could well be more exploring to do. See you soon
JW (MM)
What is needed is the online equivalent of "Chewin the Fat's "Big Man" - "IS THERE A PROBLEM???" Just realised I gave a plug for the 大象传媒 there.... Anyway rant over. So I went all the way to Iona to do a 2 day job and ended up twiddling my thumbs at 11 am.... nothing else for it.... looks like I am going to have to go for a stroll and look at some rocks..... shame really....
Actually, I needed to check out some potential field trip sites anyway ( I had intended going out early evening to do it) so this was a perfect opportunity.
There are some interesting rocks in the south west of Iona - its also an area that I dont think gets visited very often. Most people who do more than just visit the Abbey, will go to the Machair, or Columbas Bay. Maybe the Marble Quarry. And some will go to the beautiful white beaches at the north end.
But the SW corner....whats there?
Well you know that that is the cue for me to bore you rigid with a load of rock-geekery, dont you? Allow me to oblige. Here are the pics:
The weather was beautiful - a really nice day for being out and about. this is the view from the south end of the machair looking NW.
I wanted to look at the area round about the hill called Druim an Aoinidh, right on the SW corner. Apparently, according to the Geological Survey memoir to the area, there is an unusual rock called eclogite to be found there. Eclogite is a SERIOUSLY cool rock, and relatively rare, so finding this would be neat.
Easiest way to get to it was to take te Columbas Bay track and then head across the moor just beyond the loch. I came across a beautiful exposure of the Lewisian Gneiss near here:
And in close up, there was a band of green epidote running through it:
Moving on a bit, towards the west:
This is the bay below Druim an Aoinidh. There is a fault that runs right across it- that is what the V shaped cleft is. And it continues in the opposite direction as well.
This is the view looking down on the bay. The cleft is really obvious.
The summit of Druim an Aoinidh is not far away.
And this view, straight into the sun, was from the summit.
From here it was a case of looking around for this eclogite chappie. Not too sure if I found it or not - a bit of further research is needed. Anway, it was time to head back.
Loch Staoineag from the path back to the Machair:
And that was that.
looks like its back to Iona next week to finish the broadband job, so there could well be more exploring to do. See you soon
JW (MM)
Comments
Rock-geekery...I think it could really catch on. So much better than Billy Connolly's "He's aff his work wi a nasty dose of diaorrhea through a hole in his balaclava" as an excuse to stay home..."an advanced case of rock-geekery I'm afraid Mrs Mountainman...there's no known cure."
Flying Cat from terminological admiration
all the problems i keep hearing about broadband is one of the reasons i haven't made the move, thanks for all the photos and info mountainman, sorry i have not left a comment before,
island threads from stornoway library waiting for bus home
IT, St Broadband is the patron saint of timewasters, but I regret not changing over before I did. MM, great pics as usual, I love the Lewisian gneiss photo. And what lovely weather!
Jill from EK
James, Fascinating stuff as always but you must have had the filter on the lens when you took the pic of Loch Staoineag. This, if my rapidly deteriorating memory is correct, use to be the source of Iona's domestic water supply before some facelss bureaucrat in Brussels deemed that you could not have people drinking or bathing in peat-stained water. (As a result the water now comes from Mull via a pipeline under the Sound of Iona.) My childhood memory of brown-tainted baths (and only one a week as was the custom!) is very much at odds with the clear, bright water in your photo.
Guy from Australia
Guy Hello again! Actually, there was no filter used in that shot - thats just the way the colours came out - mind you, the sun was at 90 degrees to the line of the shot and that always gives good contrast. Havent actually tried filtering the digi cam yet - could be fun! Yes, I believe it was the water supply - seems strange a that it now comes form Loch Assapol (I think) under the Sound of Iona. Remarkable. Cheers! MM
MM from Tob
Hi MountainMan. Have followed your blogs over the last few months with interest. Absolutely love all your photos of Mull and Iona and your rock info is seriously fascinating. As a Scot who spent many happy holidays on Mull and a memorable several months on Iona but who now lives on a much bigger island across the water, I love tuning into the unique and special atmosphere that is your part of the world. Keep up the absolutely fantastic work.
Kamala from Australia
'love this site...it is a gift to all of us as you are...beautiful imagery and a wonder of words...
holycutofgreen.cox.net from arizona
Hi MountainMan, I don't know anything about rocks and mountains but your site has really cheered me up this morning. Your pictures are beautiful - it makes me wish I was there. Kay
Kay Leslie from Haddington, East Lothian
Exploring the hills and coasts of Mull and Iona and occasionally elsewhere, with a close eye on the geology
RSS Feed