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The weather on Friday was really rather nice - there is nothing to beat a crisp frosty morning then lots of sunshine falling on a landscape of autumn colours. Perfect weather actually for gazing at a computer screen most of the day, fighting with trojans, viruses and other such horrors.....

Anyway, I was out at Calgary on Friday lunchtime - the bay looked great. Here are some pics:


The classic view of Calgary Bay - a shell sand machair - still very popular, even in late October!


A couple of residents, not so fussed about the view!


Looking across to the old pier. Note the volcanic dyke running down towards the pier - quite famous that one - its been used to provide one wall of the now roofless shed near the pier


Looking out towards the headland - you can see the raised beach quite clearly here - it is like a level platform all the way round the bay.


Another view, this time taken from further south, on the road towards Treshnish

On Saturday, it was off to the hills proper for some exploring, geologising and other such pranks. The weather wasnt so bright, but it was very still. At Loch Uisg near Lochbuie, the reflections were mirror-like:


Looking across to Creach Bheinn



Looking towards the west end of the loch

And at the end of the day, I got this almost monochrome shot of the sun going down:


So that was that! Geology classes are now in ful swing and hopefuly the first field trip, probably to Ardmore , will be next Saturday. So if any of you students are reading this, look forward to seeing you there. Full details at the class on Monday evening

Bye for now
JW (MM)

Ah well, good while it lasted! Looks like the weekend forecast isnt great. Anyway, I had a nice trip to Iona the other day, and coming up the side of Loch Scridain and Glen More on the way back, the scenery was really rather nice! Heres just a few pics - hopefully we'll get more of this sort of weather again soon.


Ben More and A'Chioch from near Pennyghael


And a closer in view


These hills are Cruachan Dearg and Corra Bheinn - fine peaks with lots of nice geology up there. Maybe see it here some day. Both peaks are the same height, according to the map (and if you were looking at this blog at the weekend you would have noticed a deliberate error... Cruach Chorradail is a bit fuerther up the glen!)


This little peak is called Cruach Doire nan Cuilean - great views from up there - havent been up for ages, Time, time, time....... where does it go?


Right then, geology class - we'll be looking at this sort of stuff in a few weeks time. The hard dark rock is a gabbro (the Ben Buie Gabbro) and it is absolutely shot through with thin veins. The rock is seriously rough - you get a great grip on it!

The gabbro is really obvious from the roadside - it is very dark and knobbly looking. The Cuillin of Skye are made of gabbro of course, but they are seriously pointy hills in comparison to the Mull ones. Both areas are actually quite similar geologically - but still very different in many ways. That's what makes this whole west coast area (and I say that as a dyed in the wool Cairngormer.....) so interesting.

More fun soon!

Cheers!
James

I was working at Carsaig on Saturday - weather was nice, cold, north wind blowing, but the air was nice and clear and some of the hills looked great. Ben More and the Cioch had a nice early dusting of snow.

I didnt have a lot of time to go exploring - this work business keeps getting in the way.... but anyway, I managed an hour or so up on the high ground just south of Glen More near the Craig quarry. Craig quarry itself is a great place to go exploring if you are a geologist - great for seeing gabbro up close and personal.

Anyway, the hills around this part of Mull have lots of gabbro in them - not as impressive as the Cuillin of Skye, or even the Rum hills which are also gabbroic in characte, but these Mull hills have their own special "feel" to them

In my previous blog entry, I mentioned a little hill called Cruach Doire nan Cuilean , near Kinloch and how the views were good from it. Anyway, I didnt have time to go to the top, but the lower point is called Caigeann Doire nan Cuilean That's where I took a stroll. Caigeann is a great Gaelic word - it can mean a couple, a pair, as in yoked beasts, or a rough mountain pass, as in this case. One of my Gaelic tutors used to be very fond of it. I believe that in Tiree it is used to mean "a few"

Anyway...

And I saw no-one either. Another bonus when you need some space. Been a hectic week. Here are the pics all taken from the Caigeann!:


Looking over to Ben Buie - the sunshine filled the glen with light.


Another view over to Ben Buie. Note: the forestry here is quite thick, the ground is boggy, the tussocks are man-eaters. Oh and there are fences as well. High ones. Oh yes, had to wade the river as well.....


Now, here's the good stuff. Ben More and A'Chioch, 'neath snowy raiment as the late W A Poucher would have said.


This is just a close-up of the summit of Ben More and the narrow ridge on the right hand side connecting it to A'Chioch. A narrow scramble in summer, slightly more interesting when plastered in snow....


This is the hill Cruach Choireadail with Craig cottage below.

A quick saunter down the main road (you can see it in the pics) and it was back to the car and then back to Tobermory.

Note to students: Class as usual on Monday night - hopefully the next field trip will be soon, maybe even next weekend. Iona if the weather is very nice, otherwise it 'll be Carsaig or the Ross of Mull.

Bye for now!

MM

PS: Just another interesting Gaelic aside: On the map, near where I was walking there is an area of land, completely surrounded by rivers. This area is called "Eilean a Chlarsaire" - the Harper's Island. Must be a good story behind that one..

So IB has run its course. Oh well, good while it lasted. Thanks to all you bloggers and others who have left comments over the past few years. It's been fun. Anyway, I intend this to be my last IB posting. so lets go out on a high note.

We had a geology class field trip on Saturday to Fionnphort and Ardalanish to look at the ross of Mull granite. Now I know we have been there before, I have blogged it and so on, so I wont repeat myself. Just a few pics.

As many of you will know, I am not one for hyperbole. Words like "wonderful", "incredible" "fantastic" and "amazing" are not part of my lexicon. As a dyed in the wool presbyterian Scot, I prefer the "Aye, it's not bad" "It'll be fine" or "it'll do, I suppose..." sort of approach. Not so much pessimistic as plain and simple "feet on the ground" realistic.

However, the weather on Saturday was so good, that I am almost, almost I say, tempted to use that sort of terminlogy. It really was a classic winter's day. White peaks piercing an azure sky, just a slight breeze, stunning clarity - the sort of day it just feels good to be alive.

Some pics to show what I am on about:


Iona Ferry, Fionnphort, lots of granite. Looking towards Eilean nam Ban and the Bull Hole.

We had a short trip to the Tormore quarry then back close to the shore. Iona looked very close:



We stopped near Bunessan to get some pics of the view over to Ardmeanach:


Ardalanish was next on the list of places


Near the farm, looking over towards Ben More



Ardalanish Bay, one of the nicest places in Mull and great fun for geologists. One of the first places I ever visited, way back in 1979


Heading back up the road, as the light was fading, Ben More and the Cioch looked Alpine

And as the sun set in the west, its time to say a final "Thanks and wish you all well"


James (MM)

PS: I have a half completed sort of blog on Wordpress. The address is mullgeology.wordpress.com. This was set up about a year ago, but never properly used. I will almost certainly be using this now that IB is to be closed. Maybe see some of you over there JW