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Late Devensian glaciation of southern Caithness

1989; Zoological Society of London; Volume: 25; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1144/sjg25030307

2041-4951

Adrian M. Hall, Graeme Whittington,

Indigenous Studies and Ecology

Synopsis A formal stratigraphy is proposed for the Quaternary deposits of south-east Caithness. A shelly till from the Moray Firth, the Forse Till, overlies an early till from inland, the Balantrath Till, which demonstrates an expansion of inland ice on to the edge of the plain of Caithness. Along its south-eastern margin the Forse Till is found interbedded with the Balantrath Till in the Dunbeath Water valley and a second inland till, the Ladies’ Tent Till, in the Langwell Water valley. The stratigraphy indicates that Moray Firth ice was contiguous with inland ice at this stage and evidence from striations shows that inland ice was diverted to run northwards parallel to the margin of the inland ice. After retreat of Moray Firth ice there was a minor advance of inland ice in the Berriedale area and formation of hummocky moraine. There is no evidence of any subaerial exposure within till sequences and the tills are therefore related to a single, complex phase of glaciation. The Forse Till and the Ladies’ Tent Till are overlain by peats of Windermere Interstadial age and by gelifluctates of Loch Lomond Stadial age. A variety of relative age criteria indicate that almost all the Quaternary deposits of south-east Caithness are of Late Devensian age.