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Long Excursion.—The Pentland Hills
200
LONG EXCURSION TO EDINBURGH AND DISTRICT.
House, however, it crosses ) et another of the east-and-west basalt dykes. Linlithgow was reached in time to allow of a brief inspection of its famous palace-the former residence of Scottish royalty. LONG EXCURSION.-THE PENTLAND HILLS. TUESDAY, JULY 27TH, 1897.
Director:
J.
G. GOODCHILD, F.G.S., F.Z.S.
(Report by R. S.
H ERRIES,
M.A., SEC. G.S.)
LEAV.ING the Caledonian Station by the 9.50 train, the party arrived at Balerno at 10.21. They then walked southwards across Lower Carboniferous Beds to Bavelaw Castle, near which they visited a small quarry in highly inclined Silurian Rocks (Ludlow). The Director explained that these Silurian Rocks form the core of the Pentlands, and that on their upturned edges rest unconformably the great Old Red Series (Caledonian Old Red) of the Pentlands, as well as the Upper Old Red and the Carboniferous Beds (see plate VI.). At this quarry a few fossils were obtained, and some basalt dykes were pointed out. The party then proceeded into the heart of the Pentlands amid the most lovely scenery, the path taking them between Hare Hill, where the nearly horizontal beds of the Upper Old Red were well seen, and Black Hill, which is a microgranite intrusion of Old Red age. At Loganlee the Conglom erates at the base of the great Old Red Volcanic series, called by the Director the Caledonian Old Red, were well seen by th e side of the burn, and yielded many beautiful pieces of jasper and other rocks. This conglomerate rests on Silurian rocks, similar to those seen at Bavelaw Castle, and some time was allowed the members to search for fossils. Before leaving this spot the Director made some remarks on the glaciation of the district, and he pointed out the well-known boulder of mica schist from the Highlands, mentioned on page 12I. Scald Law was then climbed, and in descending the eastern slopes the great volcanic series, consisting of andesites and trachytes ~ith occasional beds of tuff, was traversed. In an exposure of one of the latter attention was drawn to a globular structure. which has been recognised as caused by raindrops falling through an atmosphere charged with fine volcanic dust. At the foot of the hills the" porphyrite" of Carnethy was seen, and some beautiful specimens of the included agates obtained (page 121). A fault there brings down the Carboniferous again, and the way lay across these beds to Penicuik, whence the return to Edinburgh was made by the 6.30 train.
LONG EXCURSION TO EDINBURGH AND DISTRICT.
House, however, it crosses ) et another of the east-and-west basalt dykes. Linlithgow was reached in time to allow of a brief inspection of its famous palace-the former residence of Scottish royalty. LONG EXCURSION.-THE PENTLAND HILLS. TUESDAY, JULY 27TH, 1897.
Director:
J.
G. GOODCHILD, F.G.S., F.Z.S.
(Report by R. S.
H ERRIES,
M.A., SEC. G.S.)
LEAV.ING the Caledonian Station by the 9.50 train, the party arrived at Balerno at 10.21. They then walked southwards across Lower Carboniferous Beds to Bavelaw Castle, near which they visited a small quarry in highly inclined Silurian Rocks (Ludlow). The Director explained that these Silurian Rocks form the core of the Pentlands, and that on their upturned edges rest unconformably the great Old Red Series (Caledonian Old Red) of the Pentlands, as well as the Upper Old Red and the Carboniferous Beds (see plate VI.). At this quarry a few fossils were obtained, and some basalt dykes were pointed out. The party then proceeded into the heart of the Pentlands amid the most lovely scenery, the path taking them between Hare Hill, where the nearly horizontal beds of the Upper Old Red were well seen, and Black Hill, which is a microgranite intrusion of Old Red age. At Loganlee the Conglom erates at the base of the great Old Red Volcanic series, called by the Director the Caledonian Old Red, were well seen by th e side of the burn, and yielded many beautiful pieces of jasper and other rocks. This conglomerate rests on Silurian rocks, similar to those seen at Bavelaw Castle, and some time was allowed the members to search for fossils. Before leaving this spot the Director made some remarks on the glaciation of the district, and he pointed out the well-known boulder of mica schist from the Highlands, mentioned on page 12I. Scald Law was then climbed, and in descending the eastern slopes the great volcanic series, consisting of andesites and trachytes ~ith occasional beds of tuff, was traversed. In an exposure of one of the latter attention was drawn to a globular structure. which has been recognised as caused by raindrops falling through an atmosphere charged with fine volcanic dust. At the foot of the hills the" porphyrite" of Carnethy was seen, and some beautiful specimens of the included agates obtained (page 121). A fault there brings down the Carboniferous again, and the way lay across these beds to Penicuik, whence the return to Edinburgh was made by the 6.30 train.