The geology of the central Pentland Hills : 1:10000 sheets NT16SE (Scald Law) and 1:10560 sheets NT15NW (Baddinsgill) and part of NT15NE (Carlops) : part of 1:50000 sheets 32W (Livingston), 32E (Edinburgh) and 24W (Biggar)

摘要

This report describes the geology of 1:10 000 sheet NT16SE (Scald Law), and the 1:10 560 sheets NT15NW (Baddinsgill) and the area NW of the Pentland Fault on NT15NE (Carlops). These are included in 1:50 000 geological sheets 32W (Livingston), 32E (Edinburgh) and 24W (Biggar). Sheet boundaries are depicted on Figure 1.udThe area resurveyed falls within the City of Edinburgh, Midlothian, Borders and West Lothian unitary authority areas (Figure 1). It straddles the central part of the south-west to north-east chain of the Pentland Hills, including the highest summits of Scald Law (579m), West Kip (551m), East Cairn Hill (567m) and West Cairn Hill (562m). The north-west side of the range is drained by the Water of Leith via the Harperrig, Threipmuir and Harlaw reservoirs. Cutting north-west to south-east between Black Hill and Scald Law is the major glacial meltwater channel of Green Cleugh. To the south the basins of the Baddinsgill and North Esk Reservoirs are drained by the Lyne Water and River North Esk respectively (Figure 2).udMost of the upland area is used for grazing sheep and to a lesser extent for hill cattle. Some grouse shooting takes place though this is in decline. Mixed farming predominates to the north-west of Threipmuir Reservoir and on the low ground immediately north-west of the Pentland Fault. The Pentlands are also extensively used for recreation, particularly walking and mountain-biking. Much of the resurveyed area on NT16SE and NT15NE is managed, in partnership with the owners, by the Pentland Hills Regional Park.udThe Edinburgh to New Galloway road, the A702, follows the Pentland Fault in the south-east of the area (Figure 1).udThe area was first geologically surveyed on the 1:10 560-scale by A Geikie and H H Howell in 1856–1866 and published on the 1:63 360-scale in 1859. udSheet NT16SE was revised in 1902–1903 by B N Peach, J S Grant-Wilson and E H Cunningham Craig. A second revision was carried out during 1949–1952 by H E Wilson and W Mykura and the sheet was resurveyed by H F Barron and A D McAdam in 1993–1996. udSheet NT15NE was revised by E H Cunningham Craig, L W Hinxman and B N Peach, and resurveyed by W Mykura, T Robertson and H E Wilson in 1938–1952. A second resurvey was carried out by H F Barron (north of the Pentland Fault) and A D McAdam (south of the Pentland Fault) in 1994–1996.udSheet NT15NW was revised by B N Peach and partly published in 1907; W Q Kennedy, W Mykura and H H Read resurveyed the sheet in 1928–1952. A second resurvey was carried out by H F Barron in 1994–1996. udA new 1:63 360-scale edition (solid) of sheet 32 was published in 1967 and accompanying memoir published in 1962 (Mitchell and Mykura, 1962). The sheet was reprinted at 1:50 000-scale in 1977 without geological revision as Sheet 32W (Livingston) and 32E (Edinburgh).udAll grid references used in this report refer to National Grid 100 km square NT.udThis report is an interim statement and lithostratigraphical nomenclature may require revision as mapping proceeds in the contiguous areas.ud