Getting to the bottom of Scotland's fjords

Abstract

Over the last 500 thousand years, glaciers have carved and shaped the stunning fjord landscape that characterises the west coast of Scotland. The North-West Highlands is one of the best places to view the effects of glacial erosion, from its spectacular mountain peaks and deep ice-sculpted corries to the U-shaped valleys and sea lochs. Less well-known is the dramatic marine landscape that forms an integral component of the region’s natural heritage. As there is a growing cultural awareness that we need to monitor excessive pressures on our landscapes, we must recognize that geology provides the Geodiversity that underpins landscapes, habitats and Biodiversity both above and below the waves. In the fjords of the Summer Isles region, these landscapes are still evolving