„g [Proc. B.N.F.C., 



KNOCKDHU AND SALLAGH BRAES. 



On 13th August a party of thirty-seven members and friends 

 had one of the most enjoyable excursions of the season to Knockdhu 

 and Sallagh Braes. The party, which was conducted by the Presi- 

 dent of the Club (Mr. Robert J. Welch, M.R.I. A.), travelled to 

 Larne by the 9-5 a.m. train in specially reserved carriages. On 

 reaching Larne they drove along the celebrated Antrim coast road 

 as far as Ballygally Castle, where the road turns inland to 

 Knockdhu. Lunch was taken on the wild slopes of Knockdhu, 

 and then the party had five hours at their disposal to explore the 

 magnificent amphitheatre of the Sallagh Braes. The geological 

 features of the great amphitheatre of basaltic cliffs known as 

 Sallagh Braes are such as are perfectly familiar to all students of 

 local geology. This crescent-shaped escarpment is about two 

 miles in length, and attains an almost uniform elevation of from 

 800 to 900 feet. Rough talus slopes extend from the base of the 

 escarpment proper to the farm lands and boggy pastures in the 

 lower ground to the east. The Cretaceous rocks outcrop at various 

 places from beneath the overlying tertiary basalt. Above Killy- 

 glen, at the south end of the Braes, the Chalk is a prominent 

 feature. The basalt plateau above and west of Sallagh is overlaid 

 with a widespread accumulation of peat. At Knockdhu, the 

 northern arm of the Braes, striking evidence is afforded of the 

 effect of land-slips and subsequent weathering in producing 

 the existing physical features of the district. The geologists of 

 the party spent a busy day, and an interesting list of rare accessory 

 minerals was found in the basalts, among which Faralite, Natrolite, 

 Chabkite, Chabasite, Anacite, Analcite, and Apophyllite may be 

 mentioned, while a fine piece of tube Amygdaloid was also found. 

 It was to the botanists, however, that the day gave the finest 

 opportunities. The botanical interest of Sallagh Braes lies in the' 

 vegetation of the cliffs themselves and in the gullies carved out of 

 the face of the escarpment by stream action, and most of the 



