Cainozoic geology and landscape evolution of north-east Scotland - important localities

Merritt, J W, Auton, C A, Connell, E R, Hall, A M, and Peacock, J D. 2003. Cainozoic geology and landscape evolution of north-east Scotland. Memoir of the British Geological Survey, sheets 66E, 67, 76E, 77, 86E, 87W, 87E, 95, 96W, 96E and 97 (Scotland). Contributors: J F Aitken, D F Ball, D Gould, J D Hansom, R Holmes, R M W Musson and M A Paul.

Sites of significance

Site number	Site name	Site characteristics and significance
1	Teindland	Long sequence; 4 tills; Ipswichian palaeosol; luminescence dated sand
2	Boyne Limestone Quarry	Mesozoic rafts; glacitectonites; 3 tills one shelly; Whitehills Glacigenic Formation with OIS 2/3 shells
3	Castle Hill, Gardenstown	Mesozoic rafts; glacitectonites; 3 tills one shelly; Whitehills Glacigenic Formation with OIS 2/3 shells; capped by glaciolacustrine Kirkburn Silt Formation
4	King Edward	Rafted OIS 3/4 shelly deposits
5	Crossbrae Farm, Turriff	Early Devensian peat bed; gelifluctates
6	Howe of Byth Quarry	Windermere Interstadial peat; OIS 2 till; OIS 3 gravel (luminescence dated)
7	Kirkhill and Leys quarries	Longest sequence in region; 2 palaeosols; 5 gelifluctate beds; three 100 ka cycles represented (3 tills)
8	Oldmill pit	Mesozoic rafts; glacitectonites; 2 tills, old gravel
9	Philorth valley	Estuarine deposits and peat; Holocene sea level change
10	Ugie valley	Glacial Lake Ugie and possible mid OIS 2 readvance; tundra polygons
11	St Fergus	Raised OIS 2 glaciomarine silts and late readvance; tundra polygons
12	Sandford Bay	Logie-Buchan Drift Group deformation tills and clays on 'local' till with sparse Norwegian erratics
13	Windy Hills	Neogene quartzite gravels; tills and gelifluctates; GPR traverse
14	Moss of Cruden	Devonian Smallburn Sandstone Formation outlier Lower Cretaceous Moreseat Sandstone Formation outlier Neogene Buchan Ridge flint/quartzite gravels Camp Fauld; Early Devensian peat bed, 2 tills
15	Ellon (Bellscamphie)	'indigo' shelly till; long sequence with 4 tills
16	Kippet Hills (Slains)	Esker; Logie-Buchan Drift Group; early Pleistocene shells
17	Errollston Clay Pit	Logie-Buchan Drift Group deformation tills and clays
18	Mill of Dyce pit	Deglaciation of lower Don valley; deltaic sequence
19	Strabathie, Bridge of Don	Deltaic sequence formed during parting of ice streams
20	Nether Daugh, Kintore	Meander infill; late Holocene environmental change
21	Rothens, Monymusk	Kettle hole infill; Late-glacial sequence
22	Nigg Bay, Aberdeen	Long sequence including elements of four drift groups
23	Loch of Park, Banchory	Late-glacial to Holocene pollen sequence
24	Balnakettle, Fettercairn	Tectonised sequence; late readvance of East Grampian ice
25	Knockhill, Glenbervie	Windermere Interstadial peat bed under landslipped till
26	Burn of Benholm	Red till on Early Devensian peat on shelly diamicton

Important localities

1 Teindland, near Elgin

2 Boyne Limestone Quarry

3 Castle Hill, Gardenstown

4 King Edward

5 Crossbrae Farm, Turriff

6 Howe of Byth Quarry

7 Kirkhill and Leys quarries

8 Oldmill Quarry

9 Philorth valley, Fraserburgh

10 Ugie valley

11 St Fergus (Annachie)

12 Sandford Bay

13 Windyhills

14 Moss of Cruden

15 Ellon (Bellscamphie)

16 Kippet Hills, Slains

17 Errollston Clay Pit, Cruden Bay

18 Mill of Dyce

19 Strabathie

20 Nether Daugh, Kintore

21 Rothens, Monymusk

22 Nigg Bay, Aberdeen

23 Loch of Park

24 Balnakettle

25 Knockhill Wood, Glenbervie

26 Burn of Benholm

References

Full reference list