Stonehaven

The Stonehaven trip starts from Cowie Harbour, and follows the beach north towards Garron Point. 

The section is comprised of early Devonian Lower Old Red Sandstone rocks and Siluro-Ordovician rocks of the Highland Border Complex, which are juxtaposed against Dalradian-aged rocks by the Highland Boundary Fault at Garron Point.

The spectacular exposures are exposed along the sea cliffs and within a number of small bays, and on this trip can be examined in around 3 hours around low tide.

Some parts of the section require some scrambling down low cliff paths to access, although trips can be tailored to individual needs.

The Old Red Sandstone sedimentary rocks at Stonehaven consist of sandstones, siltstones and mudstones which were deposited by large river systems. Volcanic rocks are also seen.

The Highland Border Complex consists of shallow marine, deep marine and ocean-floor sedimentary and volcanic rocks and is intensely deformed.

The Highland Boundary Fault zone can be seen clearly at Garron Point forming a steeply dipping surface, and can be traced SW across Scotland to Arran.