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080000m Rubha Mas a' Chnuic NF NG 100000m Seilebost Miabhaig 120000m Loch an Tairbeairt Carnach SCALPAY 890000m 870000m 850000m Monach Islands Rubha Mhanais Rubha Port Scolpaig SOUND OF MONACH STUDY AREAS Rubha Ghriminis Baile Mhartainn BENBECULA Rubha Aird A865 Kirkibost Island BALESHARE Bale a' Mhanaich Geirinis Vallay Eachcamais Griminis Lochdar Malacleit BORERAY Aird a' Mhorain NORTH UIST Benbecula Airport Loch Bi A865 080000m PABBAY Loch Carnan Lingeigh Crogearraidh Mor BERNERAY A867 Saighdinis Loch Uisegebhagh Fuidhaigh Liursaigh Dubh Rubha Bhreinis Borgh Port nan Long Ronay Maragaidh Mor Loch Maddy Taobh Tuath SOUND OF HARRIS Rubha Mhic Ensay Killegray Rubha an Duine Rubha nam Pleac Grodaigh Sgarasta Mhor SOUTH HARRIS A859 100000m NR NS Srannda Langaigh Aird Mhighe RENISH POINT Rubha Chuidhtinis T H E L I T T L E M I N C H An Ceannaich Moonen Bay Hoe Point DUNVEGAN HEAD D U R I N I S H Rubha Bhocaig Ardmore Point LOCH DUNVEGAN WATERNISH POINT W E S T E R N I S L E S 120000m ISLE OF SKYE W A T E R N I S H Loch Bay A850 Dunvegan A863 0 5 10 20 30km 890000m 870000m 850000m © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved [Historic Scotland] [100017509][2005] Fig.1 - Location plan outlining the study area. UISN2/1262/0 9 CFA
3. GEOLOGICAL SETTING OF THE STUDY AREA The geological setting of the survey area has previously been described by Hansom and Robertson (in Sneddon 2006, 11-14). The following is a summery of their findings and as a result of the visual appraisal of the study area in October 2006. The geology of the survey area is dominated by an ancient basement of metamorphic Lewisian gneiss, intruded by basaltic sills and dykes during the Tertiary, but earlier deformed and metamorphosed during two phases (Stoker et al 1993). This hard rock geology dominates the Minch coastline with cliffs and intertidal rock platforms, the coastal orientation being largely controlled by the dual influence of the coast-parallel Minch fault and the Outer Isles Thrust Plane (Stoker et al 1993 ibid). Several secondary faults trend approximately normal to this main orientation and can be picked out in the east/west orientation of Locheport and the south-east/north-west trending North and South Fords of Benbecula, all of which interrupt the south/north trend of the Minch Coast. The relative durability of the underlying Lewisian gneiss has shaped the character of the study area that is dominated by coastal rock skerries, headlands and reefs, all of which are strongly linked to the north-west to south-east regional foliation of the gneiss. For example, in the Lochs Blashaval and Siginish area, both subaerial and seabed topography is made up of a series of ridges and deep, rock-floored, narrow basins, the scale, alignment and relief of which mirrors the structural trend. The characteristic fjard environment of inter-tidal inlets and lagoons is a result of rapid marine incursion that occurred during the early Holocene (Ritchie 1968). Coastal Geomorphology The survey area has been the subject of a plethora of research concerning the marine environment and is designated a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) owing to the wide range of ecological habitats centred on Loch Maddy or Loch nam Madadh to use its Gaelic name. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) defines this area as 2320.38ha in extent. The general site character of the SAC has been classified into five broad ecotypes and these are listed in Table 1 below. Their data shows that the study area is dominated by marine inlets with equal amounts of intertidal flats and areas of saltmarsh. Inland standing water is low in frequency (0.5%) but is largely represented by a series of rock-bound silled lagoons. Ecological zone % frequency of ecotype Marine inlets 75 Tidal rivers, estuaries, mud flats sand flats and lagoons 12 Inland standing water, running water (brackish or marine) 0.5 Bogs and marshes, fringed vegetation and fenland 12.5 Table 1. List of ecological zones and their frequency within the SAC. There are 14 lagoons in the SAC and these form one of the most extensive and diverse saline lagoon system in the UK (Entec 1992). The lagoons connect with an extensive system of freshwater lochs and lochans in the North Uist hinterland and the so-called UISN2/1262/0 10 CFA
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