Geology of the Black Isle

The sedimentary rock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, formed over 350 million years ago, dominates the Black Isle with outcrops of conglomerate forming prominent features such as Ord Hill.  Metaphoric rocks along the southern edge between Chanonry Point and Eathie and including the South Sutor, give the appearance of cliffs and rocky shore.  Chanonry Point itself is an area of glacial deposits and Eathie is a Jurassic outcrop in which fossil fish are found

The coast of the Black Isle and the Tarbet Ness peninsula facing the Moray Firth is a continuation of the Great Glen Fault.  The local stone, the Old Red Sandstone of Easter Ross and the Black Isle, was once quarried on a large scale as masonry stone, used in buildings such as Fortrose Cathedral, Redcastle and Fort George .

In comparison to the land to the adjacent countryside, the Black Isle presents a very gentle landscape, with the only steep slopes occurring along the East Coast.  Ridges, hills and valleys are fairly pronounced over the eastern portion of the Black Isle with a northeast to southwest orientation, reflecting geological faults and folds.  Moving to the west, the land rises steadily to a broad rounded spine called the Millbuie Ridge, which culminates in Mount Eagle, at 800 feet.

Beyond this, slopes dip down to the shores of the Cromarty Firth, interrupted in the north by a long straight valley.  Glacial and post-glacial features provide an important pattern of landform at a smaller scale.  Distant views of the surrounding sea and mountains are an important aspect of the experience of the Black Isle.