Mapping in Inchnadamph

The area around Inchnadamph in Assynt, Scotland features classic highlands geology and is located on the Moine Thrust Belt in the Caledonian Mountains. Generations of geology students and industry professionals have mapped in this area owing to its excellent exposure of complex structures. The Inchnadamph activity provides ~2 km2 of terrain for geological mapping for UG students and represents an excellent way to introduce students to mapping. The area can also be used as a challenging substitute for an outdoors mapping project for UG students to allow inclusivity for everyone.

The activity includes ~2Gb in data in the form of 3D models and textures. As an activity aimed at mapping a larger area, outcrops are provided in a range of resolutions. Lower resolution models are supplemented by field photographs to aid lithological identification of units. Some higher resolution models are present to allow more detailed observations. The activity has successfully been used as an alternative for outdoors mapping for some students at Imperial College London.

The Inchnadamph activity in solo (offline) mode includes a tour designed to act as a primer to the stratigraphy and mappable units, and for mapping techniques. For enthusiasts and school students a geological tour is included. For mapping we recommend that students record data in a notebook and on a map of the area printed at 1:10,000 (see the link below to download the map). Traditional techniques must be used in the activity to determine location (e.g. triangulation and map-reading skills). Coordinates must be extracted from the map.

As an area visited by several UK universities on outdoor fieldwork, “answers” are not given in the activity. The geology is, however, replicated in sufficient accuracy that the BGS Assynt sheet is an excellent guide to the activity. The topographic map given below, however, has some minor differences to the ordinance survey map, since it was created to match the activity, and some small differences are necessary in merging outcrops with the landscape. The topographic map should not, therefore, be used in outdoors fieldwork in Assynt.

Two adjacent areas – Skiag Bridge and Achmore Farm – will be released as activities in future to allow the mapping to be extended to a total of 9 km2.