Journey to Scotland with Smithsonian Journeys

Recently, I was fortunate to represent the Smithsonian Institution's travel program, Smithsonian Journeys, as a geologic lecturer for 145 guests. We sailed from Glasgow Scotland to Bergen Norway, stopping at six delightful and very scenic destinations. What an honor it is to represent the Smithsonian in this way and to further a wider understanding of earth history and modern-day earth processes to the traveling public! This post just covers the first two stops in Scotland - I will post the rest of Scotland and Norway in subsequent posts.These are the three formal lectures I gave onboard:

1. Landscapes and Geology of Scotland: The Birthplace of Modern Geology

2. Through Time in the Orkney and Shetland Islands

2. Fjords and Glaciers of Norway and Earth’s Changing Climates (plus - Short History of the Smithsonian) 

There was also the opportunity to visit with guests individually while onshore with observations and insights. The voyage traveled through landscapes containing rocks as old as 3 billion years (the Lewis Gneiss) to Paleogene lava's (about 60 million years old). A highlight for me was learning more about the Caledonian Orogeny, when North America collided with Baltica (ancient Scandinavia) and Avalonia (ancient France and Iberia). This mountain building event commenced about 430 million years ago.

Glasgow

I barely made the ship's departure! My flight to the UK from Phoenix was delayed 21 hours (not cancelled) and other delays caused me to arrive at the ship terminal just before the gangway was lifted. It was quite the adventure.

From the desert of Arizona to green, green Scotland - this is Glasgow

Sailing down the River Clyde from Glasgow - I missed seeing this most interesting city

Fort William and Loch Ness

Fort William is a pleasant town on the Atlantic side of Scotland

A view northwest along "strike" of the Great Glen Fault, which has experienced multiple but
opposing episodes of offset beginning with the Caledonian Orogeny between 430 and 390 Ma
(Mega-annum or millions of years ago). Note the linear line of cliffs on the left and the orientation
of the canal which parallels the fault's strike slip offset. 

Satellite view of the Great Glen fault in winter (image courtesy of the
Geological Society of London)

Later in the day while transiting the loch, the boat's video screens displayed the linear bathymetry
of Loch Ness, which has a maximum depth of 755 ft. We did not see a swimming reptile.

View to the northwest on Loch Ness, which is 23 miles long. The Great Glen Fault is the most
prominent fault in all of Great Britain.

Isle of Skye

Skye is the northernmost and largest island of the Inner Hebrides chain. It has a rich human history dating back to the Mesolithic (in Scotland this dates to about 14,000 to about 5,500 years ago). The scenery is rugged with deep bays and prominent peninsula's.

Our visit began anchored off of Portree, the largest town on Skye at about 2,200 residents. It is
known for its colorfully painted pier buildings.

As we toured the edge of the island, we could see cliffs of layered basalt

The hummocky terrane seen behind the white houses is a gigantic landslide with blocks of rotated rock
sliding from left to right (west to east)

As we drove around the island, we encountered sheer basalt-lined
cliffs, this one with a waterfall

Turning to the south, extensive cliffs were seen. The lava's erupted in the Paleogene, about 60 Ma.

We also visited Dunvegan Castle

My next posting will cover the Orkney and Shetland Island groups. Stay tuned!