Limestone Pavements

One of several limestone pavements found in the Durness area. This particular locality is found on the eastern 'plataeu' overlooking Sangomore and Loch Caladail. These rocks are part of the Sangomore Formation within the Durness Group Carbonates. Although the group is commonly known as the 'Durness Limestone, very little of the carbonates at Durness are true 'limestones' and are mostly made of the mineral dolomite, making them a 'dolostone'. Most of the true limestones are found in this formation and tend to have a slight lilac tinge to them as opposed to the grey dolostones. Limestones are also slightly more soluble than dolostones, giving these pavements a slightly different look to those seen at nearby Lerinbeg (Sailmhor Formation dolostones).

Limestone pavements consist of horizontal surfaces of exposed limestone showing the effects of weathering. With natural rainwaters being mild carbonic acids, these waters are able to dissolve the limestones that are made of calcium carbonate in the same way that much of Smoo Cave has been formed. Since weathering action is always more pronounced along cracks and crevices, it appears to break up the surface into segments which, if they are roughly rectangular, can give the appearance of an artificial pavement. They were formed during the ice age when the ice scraped away the top soil, leaving behind a bare, rocky surface. This left the limestone exposed to the elements and it was weathered away by the processes of frost shattering and dissolution.