link here  | |  tools  |  share:
photo size: medium 640 new

arjayempee
recent  |  interesting  |  random  |  favorites  |  contacts  |  sets  |  tags:  
view large
Cairnburgh Castle (2)
Cairnburgh Castle (2)

This entire area is volcanic in origin, formed from basalt that flooded out and engulfed the area as the Earth's crust was stretched by the opening of the Atlantic Ocean, 63 million years ago, when Britain decided to put as much space between itself and America as possible! These eruptions occurred repeatedly over a very long period of time, resulting in the layers of flat topped basalt that dominate the scenery today. In the 55 of so million years since this process stopped, more of the basalt has been removed by marine and glacial erosion than remains, but the process has left a quite distinctive landscape. As the basalt slowly cooled, it shrank and fractured, perpendicularly to the source of cooling, usually vertically, often forming distinctive hexagonal columns. As the fractures tended to be vertical, the eroded edges of the basalt tend to be vertical too.

The rock stack on the right is made up of four separate lava flows, one atop the other and the islands in the distance, the Treshnish Isles, are also the remains of lava flows. Our Iron Age ancestors, always interested in places they could feel secure in, built a fort or dun here, called Dun Haunn. The innermost defensive wall was built around the margin of the summit area and additional protection was provided by two outer walls, visible in the photo.

© All Rights Reserved
Taken on: May 17, 2019
Tags: Everybody's photos tagged with AV6A1232-34_stitch AV6A1232-34_stitch Everybody's photos tagged with Cairnburgh Castle Cairnburgh Castle Everybody's photos tagged with Treshnish isles Treshnish isles more » Everybody's photos tagged with Mull Mull Everybody's photos tagged with Scotland Scotland Everybody's photos tagged with Volcanic Volcanic Everybody's photos tagged with Basalt Basalt Everybody's photos tagged with Dun Haunn Dun Haunn Everybody's photos tagged with Iron age fort Iron age fort « less
Groups appears in:   • Canon DSLR User Group    • Scotland    more » • Wallpapers (horizontal)    • Ruins    • Highlands    • canon photography    • beautiful decay.    • Palaces, Castles, Towers, Pagodas, Fortresses And Ruins of Old    • Historical places    • Argyll and Bute    • Historical/Mysterious Places    • Ancient    • Old & Forgotten    • Old Structures.    • If These Walls Could Talk... (no 30/60 limit!)    • Ruins Photography    • Lost in Time    • *Inspirational Travel Photos    • TRAVEL Photography!    • Fortresses, forts & fortifications of the World (photo guide)    • Images and Words    • Scotland - the Land and the Sea    • Historical Buildings and Landmarks (No Limits)    • Old And Beautiful (buildings ,barns, shacks, and abandoned homes    • Disappearing Scotland    • History Directory    • We travel the World    • Scotland Photographed    • Scotland's Scenery    • Ob-long (Please Heed Rules!)    • pano img or multiplo / img panoramiche o multiple 24k    • Historical and architectural gems    • Scotland in Picture    • Heritage Key    • Forts-Fortresses-Kremlins-Schloss-Castles & Strongholds    • This is Scotland    • Highlands and Islands of Scotland    • Windows to History    • PLANET EARTH 100 YEAR CLUB    • Awesome Scotland    • Scottish Ruins    • World Photographers' Photos WPP    • WALKING LANDSCAPES    • CASTLES (UK & IRELAND ONLY)    • Exploring Outdoors    • A. LOST WORLD    • (A) WORLD HERITAGE TRAIL    « less
Stats: 1,114 views / 4 comments
Cairnburgh Castle (2)

go back

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: