Bow Fiddle Rock Earthcache EarthCache
Bow Fiddle Rock Earthcache
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Bow Fiddle Rock is a classic example of a sea stack with a dramatic natural arch. It is named after its unusual shape which is supposed to resemble a violin bow, and it is the most visited tourist attraction in the village of Portknockie.
The rocks that make up the Bow Fiddle are very old and date from a geological period known as the Lower Dalradian. These thickly bedded rocks originated as layers of sandstone and limestone and they were formed in shallow seas over 650 million years ago. During the time when the Grampian Mountains were being formed these sedimentary rocks were folded and hardened by the pressures of tectonic activity and changed into quartzites. The Rock is part of the huge Caledonian fold belt, which stretches right across Scotland through to Shetland and Norway.
The Bow Fiddle itself has been formed from steeply folded beds of quartzite that dip in a SE direction. Less resistant bands of mica schist rock would have been eroded by wave action to form first a cave and then a full arch. In time, this arch will also collapse as a result of coastal erosion.
The Rock looks white in parts from the layers of bird droppings left over the years by the gulls that nest there. When the older men in the village were boys it was one of the rites of passage in the Spring to jump across to the Bow Fiddle Rock to search for gulls eggs.
Follow the signposts for the Bow Fiddle Rock once you arrive at Portknockie. There is a small parking spot close to the feature, so this cache will not involve a long walk!
To claim this cache please do both of the following:
(1) Post a photo of yourself and/or GPSr in front of the Bow Fiddle Rock. Alternatively, email me with the answer to this question: What is written in red and black on the concrete box at N57 42.318 W002 51.238?
(2) In the UK, Pre-Cambrian rock formations occur mainly in North Scotland, and can be divided into four groups. Dalradian rocks - which form the Bow Fiddle - are the youngest of these. What are the other three formations called? Please do not include your answer in your log, instead email me with your findings.
Additional Hints
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