Schiehallion - The Schiehallion club

The limestone pavement on the slopes of Schiehallion is a site of special scientific interest. (SSSI). It is a very old limestone (600 million years old) - It is called Dalradian Limestone. Unlike the Carboniferous limestone of the Pennines it does not contain fossils. The calcium carbonate was precipitated onto the sea floor.

Limestone dissolves in acid rain and the grooves formed (called grykes) can be up to six feet deep. The high areas in between are called clints.

Some plants like to grow near limestone, as they like alkaline soil. These include Rock Rose, Thyme and Strawberry.

Some woodland plants are still able to grow in the grykes where they are protected from grazing by sheep. At one time most of the highlands were covered by Caledonian pine forest but most of the forest has now disappeared. The flowers that grew in the forset may persist where they are protected from grazing animals such as sheep and deer. This is what has happened on the limestone pavement where the grykes are deep enough to prevent the plants from being eaten.

The woodland plants include - Herb Robert, Herb Bennet, Ivy, Wood Sorrel, Wood Anemone, Rowan, Birch, Dog's Mercury.

The Dalradian Limestone Pavement - the grykes are the dark areas and the clints are the upstanding areas.

A biotite schist erratic can be seen sitting on top of the limestone pavement. This is a rock that has been transported here by ice from elsewhere. It shows interesting weathering called honeycomb weathering. The mineral biotite contains iron and this weathers quickly to produce pits in the rock.

Dunalastair Water can be seen in the background

The view along the Schiehallion Road towards Aberfeldy. Loch na Daihm is on the left

Birds foot Trefoil.

Butterwort - this is an insectivorous plant which grows in boggy areas. The rosette of leaves at the base contain liquid which traps the insects and then enzymes digest them before the plant absrbs the nutrients.