Broken cloud over Sgurr nan Gillean and the Red Cuillins in a summit view from Sgurr Alasdair, Isle of Skye. The mainland is clearly visible across the Inner and Outer Sounds.

            Commentary.

Oh, shadowy igneous, rocks.
Eroded remnants of a 60 million-year-old magma chamber
by glacier, constant freeze-thaw in cracks and dykes,
gravity as boulders tumble, wind, rain and subsequent burns and rivers.
Foreground up to top left is the Black Cuillin,
mostly Gabbro with some Basalt Dyke Intrusion.
Beyond these hills, towards top right, but before the sea channel is reached are the lighter-coloured Red Cuillin Hills, made of granitic intrusions.
Both sets of hills produced by massive eruptions that may have emitted projectile rock and lava-flows to a volume of 15 cubic kilometres, equivalent to the Krakatoa blast.
Lava-flows travelled up to 41 km. to places like the Sgurr of Eigg where rapid cooling produced glassy igneous rocks like Pitchstone or Obsidian.
The Red Cuillins eroded much more evenly, hence their more even, rounded forms.
The Black Cuillin is a much more dramatic erosion leaving a ten-mile serrated, knife-edge arête with frequent vertical clefts.
It is raw, bare, jagged and breath-taking.
Many climbers of the Himalayas, Alps, Dolomites, Andes and Rockies have loved this ridge as their training ground.
Few places in the world have 360° views of sea-channels, ocean, islands, mainland, bays, beaches, headlands, peninsulas, valleys, forests and layered mountains into the distance.
The views are astounding and totally captivating, simply unforgettable.
In this telephoto image, we look across the huge chasm of Coir’ Uisg  at the head of the valley in which lies Loch Coruisk, to the ridge called Druim nan Ramh. Beyond is the equally cavernous Harta Corrie,  above which towers the iconic peak of Sgùrr nan Gillean, 964 metres (3,163 feet).
Just left of centre is the highest of the Red Cuillins, Glamaig, 775 metres (2,543 feet).
Across the Sound of Raasay is Applecross Bay and some of the Torridon Mountains.
The highest peak, in shot, is Sgùrr Mor, part of Ben Alligin, 986 metres (3,235 feet) almost forty miles away!
No wonder that the Isle of Skye is often rated one of the single most amazing islands on Earth.
It undoubtedly is!

   

Taken in: UK / Scotland / Bualintur (show map)

Taken on: May 27, 2007

Sets appears in: • Scotland's Landscapes and Places of Interest.

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Camera: Canon EOS 5D, f/7.1, 1/200 sec, 70mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 5D
Lens:	EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM
Aperture:	f/7.1
Exposure Time:	0.005 sec (1/200)
Focal Length:	70mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	-1/3 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Lightroom 7.4.1 (Windows)
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