Highland Boundary Fault

The Highland Boundary Fault traverses Scotland from Arran to Stonehaven. It separates two distinctly different physiographic regions: the Highlands from the Midland Valley, but in most places it is only recognisable as a change in topography.

Related Topics:
Scotland - Arran - Stonehaven - Highlands - Midland Valley

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Aligned southwest to northeast, from Lochranza on Arran it crosses the Firth of Clyde, via Helensburgh, Loch Lomond, Aberfoyle to Callander, Comrie and Crieff, then forming the northern boundary of the Vale of Strathmore before reaching Stonehaven. To the north and west lie hard Precambrian and Cambrian metamorphic rocks: marine deposits metamorphosed to schists, phyllites and slates. To the south and east are Old Red Sandstone conglomerates and sandstones: softer, sedimentary rocks of the Devonian and Carboniferous periods.

Related Topics:
Lochranza - Firth of Clyde - Helensburgh - Loch Lomond - Aberfoyle - Callander - Comrie - Crieff - Strathmore - Precambrian - Cambrian - Metamorphic rock - Schist - Phyllite - Slate - Old Red Sandstone - Conglomerates - Sandstone - Sedimentary rock - Devonian - Carboniferous

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The Highland Boundary Fault was active during the Caledonion Orogeny, a plate tectonic collision which took place from Mid Ordovician to Mid Devonian periods (520 to 400 million years ago). The fault allowed the Midland Valley to descend as a major rift by as much as 4000 metres and there was subsequently horizontal movement.

Related Topics:
Caledonion Orogeny - Plate tectonic - Ordovician - Devonian - Fault - Rift - Horizontal movement

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