Join @ScottishGeologist on an unforgettable geological journey through the Inner Hebrides, exploring the spectacular islands of Mull, Iona, and Staffa. Over several days, you’ll discover stories of fiery volcanoes, ancient continents, and world-famous rock formations, all set against Scotland’s most dramatic island scenery.
🌋 Isle of Mull igneous geology – Scotland’s Great Volcano
Explore the remains of one of the largest volcanic centres in Britain, active around 60 million years ago during the opening of the Atlantic Ocean.
Examine vast basalt lava flows, volcanic ash deposits, and intrusive rocks that reveal the power of this ancient volcanic system.
Learn how Mull’s geology links to Iceland and Greenland, part of the same rift system that tore apart the North Atlantic.
Visit the stunning Loch Ba Ring Dyke, where magma once forced its way through cracks in the crust.
🌍 Deep Time on Display
Walk through hundreds of millions of years of Earth history in a single island, from Precambrian metamorphic rocks to Tertiary granites and dykes.
🧭 Structural Geology and Tectonics
Identify folds and faults in Dalradian metamorphic rocks.
Learn how these structures formed during the Caledonian Orogeny (~430 million years ago), when Scotland was part of a giant mountain belt like today’s Himalayas.
Discuss how later extension and volcanism reshaped the island.
🪨 Iona – Ancient Crust of the Earth
Step back more than 2.7 billion years as you walk across the Lewisian gneiss of Iona, some of the oldest rocks in Europe.
Learn how these rocks record Earth’s earliest continental crust and were later reshaped by billions of years of tectonic activity.
Discover how Iona’s geology shaped its role in history, from building stone to the setting of St Columba’s monastery.
🌊 Staffa – The World-Famous Fingal’s Cave
Sail to Staffa, home to the spectacular Fingal’s Cave, where towering basalt columns form a natural cathedral.
Learn how these iconic hexagonal columns formed as molten lava cooled and cracked, the same process seen at the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland.
Experience first-hand the link between geology and legend, as Staffa’s rocks inspired artists, poets, and composers like Mendelssohn.
🌊 Dynamic Coasts and Ice Age Legacies
• Stroll along Arran’s spectacular coastlines to find raised beaches and wave-cut platforms, evidence of changing sea levels since the last Ice Age.
• See glacial erratics, striated pavements, and corries that reveal how ice sculpted the island.
• Compare glacial landscapes inland with modern coastal erosion happening before your eyes.
👣 Guided Walks and Coastal Exploration
At each island, enjoy guided walks to key outcrops and landscapes, with time to:
Identify rock types and structures.
Learn about the processes that formed them.
Sketch and photograph world-class geological features.
This tour is ideal for:
Geology enthusiasts and students.
Nature lovers and island explorers.
Anyone captivated by Scotland’s volcanic and ancient past.
No prior geology experience is needed—just sturdy shoes, curiosity, and a love of the outdoors.
📍 Locations: Isle of Mull, Isle of Iona, Isle of Staffa
Pick up: outside Costa coffee, 50 George square, Glasgow city centre at 10:00 on Friday morning or meet us there
🗓️ Dates: Friday 10th July (10:00) to Sunday 12th May 2026 (19:30/20:00)
Pick up: outside Costa coffee, 50 George square, Glasgow city centre at 10:00 on Friday morning.
⏰ Duration: Multi-day tour (2–3 days)
🎟️ Price:
Without accommodation - £365pp from Glasgow. £320pp to meet us there (includes guided geology walks, ferry tickets and transportation in 7/8 seater minibus. Accommodation is not included).
With Accommodation included in shared facilities as an add on is available for £150pp for two nights. This price includes sharing accommodation and rooms with @scottishgeologist staying at the Craignure Bunkhouse which is a hostel - please note that this would mean sharing a room with a few other guests booked onto the tour. This is subject to confirmation - please contact Luisa separately regarding this option if its available.
We will stay in Craignure both nights so please book accommodation within an 5 mile radius if you’ve selected the option to sort your own accommodation.
Loch Lomond
The Falls of Falloch Waterfall
Oban
Craignure
Tobermory
Loch Bà
Griban
Ross of Mull
Ardalanish bay
Fionnphort
Isle of Staffa
Isle of Iona
The Dalradian supergroup (metamorphic rocks)
The Moine supergroup (metamorphic rocks)
Ross of mull granite
Devonian old red sandstones (Oban)
Premian/triassic sedimentary rocks
Paleogene igneous mafic and felsic rocks
Led by the knowledgeable @ScottishGeologist, this tour brings together ancient continental crust, fiery volcanic eruptions, and iconic coastal landscapes in a single journey. From the sacred rocks of Iona to the volcanic columns of Staffa, and the mighty caldera of Mull, this is geology at its most awe-inspiring.
Book Your Island Geology Adventure Today!
Step into Scotland’s geological story—where ancient crust meets volcanic fire, and nature has carved some of the most iconic landscapes on Earth.
Join @ScottishGeologist on an unforgettable geological journey through the Inner Hebrides, exploring the spectacular islands of Mull, Iona, and Staffa. Over several days, you’ll discover stories of fiery volcanoes, ancient continents, and world-famous rock formations, all set against Scotland’s most dramatic island scenery.
🌋 Isle of Mull igneous geology – Scotland’s Great Volcano
Explore the remains of one of the largest volcanic centres in Britain, active around 60 million years ago during the opening of the Atlantic Ocean.
Examine vast basalt lava flows, volcanic ash deposits, and intrusive rocks that reveal the power of this ancient volcanic system.
Learn how Mull’s geology links to Iceland and Greenland, part of the same rift system that tore apart the North Atlantic.
Visit the stunning Loch Ba Ring Dyke, where magma once forced its way through cracks in the crust.
🌍 Deep Time on Display
Walk through hundreds of millions of years of Earth history in a single island, from Precambrian metamorphic rocks to Tertiary granites and dykes.
🧭 Structural Geology and Tectonics
Identify folds and faults in Dalradian metamorphic rocks.
Learn how these structures formed during the Caledonian Orogeny (~430 million years ago), when Scotland was part of a giant mountain belt like today’s Himalayas.
Discuss how later extension and volcanism reshaped the island.
🪨 Iona – Ancient Crust of the Earth
Step back more than 2.7 billion years as you walk across the Lewisian gneiss of Iona, some of the oldest rocks in Europe.
Learn how these rocks record Earth’s earliest continental crust and were later reshaped by billions of years of tectonic activity.
Discover how Iona’s geology shaped its role in history, from building stone to the setting of St Columba’s monastery.
🌊 Staffa – The World-Famous Fingal’s Cave
Sail to Staffa, home to the spectacular Fingal’s Cave, where towering basalt columns form a natural cathedral.
Learn how these iconic hexagonal columns formed as molten lava cooled and cracked, the same process seen at the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland.
Experience first-hand the link between geology and legend, as Staffa’s rocks inspired artists, poets, and composers like Mendelssohn.
🌊 Dynamic Coasts and Ice Age Legacies
• Stroll along Arran’s spectacular coastlines to find raised beaches and wave-cut platforms, evidence of changing sea levels since the last Ice Age.
• See glacial erratics, striated pavements, and corries that reveal how ice sculpted the island.
• Compare glacial landscapes inland with modern coastal erosion happening before your eyes.
👣 Guided Walks and Coastal Exploration
At each island, enjoy guided walks to key outcrops and landscapes, with time to:
Identify rock types and structures.
Learn about the processes that formed them.
Sketch and photograph world-class geological features.
This tour is ideal for:
Geology enthusiasts and students.
Nature lovers and island explorers.
Anyone captivated by Scotland’s volcanic and ancient past.
No prior geology experience is needed—just sturdy shoes, curiosity, and a love of the outdoors.
📍 Locations: Isle of Mull, Isle of Iona, Isle of Staffa
Pick up: outside Costa coffee, 50 George square, Glasgow city centre at 10:00 on Friday morning or meet us there
🗓️ Dates: Friday 10th July (10:00) to Sunday 12th May 2026 (19:30/20:00)
Pick up: outside Costa coffee, 50 George square, Glasgow city centre at 10:00 on Friday morning.
⏰ Duration: Multi-day tour (2–3 days)
🎟️ Price:
Without accommodation - £365pp from Glasgow. £320pp to meet us there (includes guided geology walks, ferry tickets and transportation in 7/8 seater minibus. Accommodation is not included).
With Accommodation included in shared facilities as an add on is available for £150pp for two nights. This price includes sharing accommodation and rooms with @scottishgeologist staying at the Craignure Bunkhouse which is a hostel - please note that this would mean sharing a room with a few other guests booked onto the tour. This is subject to confirmation - please contact Luisa separately regarding this option if its available.
We will stay in Craignure both nights so please book accommodation within an 5 mile radius if you’ve selected the option to sort your own accommodation.
Loch Lomond
The Falls of Falloch Waterfall
Oban
Craignure
Tobermory
Loch Bà
Griban
Ross of Mull
Ardalanish bay
Fionnphort
Isle of Staffa
Isle of Iona
The Dalradian supergroup (metamorphic rocks)
The Moine supergroup (metamorphic rocks)
Ross of mull granite
Devonian old red sandstones (Oban)
Premian/triassic sedimentary rocks
Paleogene igneous mafic and felsic rocks
Led by the knowledgeable @ScottishGeologist, this tour brings together ancient continental crust, fiery volcanic eruptions, and iconic coastal landscapes in a single journey. From the sacred rocks of Iona to the volcanic columns of Staffa, and the mighty caldera of Mull, this is geology at its most awe-inspiring.
Book Your Island Geology Adventure Today!
Step into Scotland’s geological story—where ancient crust meets volcanic fire, and nature has carved some of the most iconic landscapes on Earth.
