Granite, Ben Nevis, Scotland

Ben Nevis, in the Western Highlands, is Britain’s highest mountain. This, and many other Scottish peaks, are made of granite, a rock that resists erosion well.

The liquid granite magma was originally forced up into (intruded) the surrounding rocks deep beneath an active volcano about 350 million years ago.

This was when the area we now call the Scottish Highlands formed part of a much greater “Caledonian” mountain chain that was being built as two continents (carrying northern and southern Britain) collided. The eroded remains of those mountains can now be found in Norway, Scotland, Ireland, and north-east USA.

Mick Churchill: mikcfc@aol.com