Scottish sites on list of world's top 100 geology

Siccar Point has been described as the birthplace of geological science

Two Scottish sites have been included on a list of globally important geology.

Siccar Point in the Scottish Borders is regarded as the birthplace of geological science.

The second feature, the Moine Thrust in the north west Highlands, was formed when two ancient continents collided about 430 million years ago.

They have been selected for the International Union of Geological Science's first list of 100 geological heritage sites.

The full list is to be announced during the union's 60th anniversary event in Spain this week.

'Deep time'

The Scottish Geology Trust has welcomed the inclusion of the Scottish sites.

It said Siccar Point, near Cockburnspath, was commonly recognised as the most important geological site in the world.

Scottish scientist James Hutton's studies of the area's two sets of rocks of different ages in 1788 revolutionised ideas about the Earth's origin and age.

The Scottish Geology Trust said Siccar Point provided the first glimpse of "deep time" and great geological cycles in Earth's history.

The Moine Thrust Zone is a major tract of ancient tectonic faulting where rocks have been moved sideways for more than 62 miles (100km).

It can be traced from Cape Wrath on the north Sutherland coast south to the Isle of Skye.

The feature is the centrepiece of the North West Highlands Unesco Geopark.

Geologists come from all over the world to study the rocks at Siccar Point

Trust chairman Prof Robert Holdsworth said: “There is a very strong argument that says that the science of geology came into being from observations first made in Scotland.

"These are places where humankind made gigantic conceptual leaps forwards in our understanding of Earth processes and the passage of geological time."

Geologist and broadcaster Prof Iain Stewart said Siccar Point was a "sacred pilgrimage place" for geologists from all over the world.

He added: "The Moine Thrust Zone gave geologists a new way of seeing how mountains formed – slices of ancient strata, stacked up on top of each other, creating Himalayas-scale peaks that have been worn down to their roots.”