2 GEOLOGY OF ARRAN. 



half consists of a mass of peaked and rugged mountains, in- 

 tersected by deep and wild glens, which diverge from a 

 common centre, and open seaward on a narrow belt of low 

 land. This belt forms a terrace marking the ancient sea- 

 level, and is bounded inland by cliffs pierced with caves, 



Fig. 1. 



and otherwise sea-worn. The coast road is carried along it 

 from Brodick Bay to the mouth of South Sannox Water, and 

 again, from Loch Ranza to Dougrie, at the mouth of lorsa 

 Water, and affords throughout views of surpassing beauty. 

 This terrace is a striking feature of the Clyde shores every- 

 where, and will be more fully described farther on. 



The Ai'ran mountains are naturally divided into three 

 separate Ranges, which may be named after their most con- 

 spicuous summits the Cior-Mhor (Kior-Vawr), Goatfell, 

 and Ben-Bharrain (Varen) groups. Of these, by far' the 

 most considerable is the first, which forms a long, irregular, 

 narrow, and jagged ridge, extending from Ben-Ghnuis (Nuish) 

 on the south to Suidhe-Fergus (swi-C-) on the north-east. 

 Cior-Mhor stands near its centre, at a point where a salient 

 angle in the ridge closely approaches to the Goatfell group 

 on the east. Its connection to this group by a cross ridge or 

 col, 1250 feet in height, which separates the heads of Glen 

 Rosa and Glen Sannox, and its position near the middle of 

 the range, constitute the prominent peak of Cior-Mhor the 

 geographical centre of the whole north-eastern mass of 

 mountains. The western Range has great persistent altitude, 

 no point descending below 1GOO feet, and there being at 

 least six summits not less than 2000 feet. Fronting the 



