• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Alan Watson Featherstone

ECOLOGIST, NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER AND INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER
FOUNDER OF THE AWARD-WINNING CHARITY TREES FOR LIFE

  • Home
  • Public speaking
  • Writing
  • Photography
  • Events
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • About me
  • Contact

Castles of Sand: the sandstone coastline of Moray in Scotland

Castles of Sand: the sandstone coastline of Moray in Scotland

On the south coast of the Moray Firth in northeast Scotland there is a remarkable stretch of sandstone coastline between the village of Cummingston and the town of Lossiemouth. Characterised by steep cliffs, seastacks and caves, and with the sandstone bedrock sculpted into beautiful organic shapes by the waves, this coastline is a narrow strip of spectacular wildness between the land and the sea.

Sandy beaches alternate with rock pools that teem with life at low tide, while brightly-coloured lichens cover the rocks in the splash zone above the high tide line. In spring and early summer a variety of seabirds nest on the sheer cliffs, while otters can be seen scampering amongst the rocks and bottlenose dolphins pass by close to shore, en route to their feeding grounds in the inner Moray Firth.

Illustrated with stunning photographs, this presentation provides a comprehensive overview of this coastline and the life it supports. It also covers some of the human history of the coast, including the Sculptor’s Cave, with its Pictish carvings dating back to about 1,400 years ago.

As sandstone is a very soft rock type, the coastline is highly dynamic, with erosion of the cliffs, bedrock and seastacks constantly taking place. Like the sand castles made by children, these beautiful sandstone formations that we see today are ephemeral in nature, changing even within a human lifetime due to the power of the waves and tides. This presentation offers a unique visual celebration of this very special coastline in the early 21st century.

If you would like me to give this talk to a group or at an event, please contact me.

Primary Sidebar

My TEDx talk – Restoring the ancient Caledonian Forest.

TEDx TEDx – Restoring the Caledonian Forest

Recent posts

  • A shieldbug extravaganza, part 2
  • A shieldbug extravaganza, part 1
  • Life on a spear thistle
  • A twinflower day
  • Unseen biodiversity of Glen Affric, part 3

News

  • The Nature Talks: Reconnecting People and Planet Now More Than Ever
  • Trees and Bees Conference 19 March 2021
  • Forests Forever perpetual calendar – a perfect gift for Christmas
  • New podcast on Empowerment
  • Caledonian Forest Engagement Diary for 2021 now available

I’m speaking at…

  • The Nature Talks: Reconnecting People and Planet Now More Than Ever – 3 February 2021–
    7 February 2021
  • Climate Action North - Trees and Bees Online Conference to celebrate International Day of Forests 2021 – 19 March 2021
  • A Rewilding Journey: Rewilding the World and Ourselves – 22 May 2021–
    29 May 2021

Over on Twitter…

Alan Watson FeatherstoneFollow

Alan Watson Featherstone
AlanWatsonFeat1Alan Watson Featherstone@AlanWatsonFeat1·
3h

I'm delighted to be giving a presentation about the Caledonian Forest and some of its species as part of this project to provide inspiration to primary school-age children about Nature. It's online on Saturday 23rd January at 5.00 pm.

https://calendar.boomte.ch/single/ecH9H9kO4xpL3A8L3l?comp_id=comp-kjwzr18r&instance=772_K1d0tEEt7G5VI0ORas5KwE168pYO9HFMcs4IGoI.eyJpbnN0YW5jZUlkIjoiMGMwOWRmY2YtMzcyMi00ODdkLWE3M2MtNmY5ZWQ2ZTcyMGVkIiwiYXBwRGVmSWQiOiIxM2I0YTAyOC0wMGZhLTcxMzMtMjQyZi00NjI4MTA2YjhjOTEiLCJzaWduRGF0ZSI6IjIwMjEtMDEtMjJUMTI6MTk6MjAuNDA1WiIsImRlbW9Nb2RlIjpmYWxzZSwiYWlkIjoiMDQ2YzVkYTAtMTYwZS00OTM4LWI5YzgtZGIyOGMzODQ3Yzc2Iiwic2l0ZU93bmVySWQiOiI5NGJkOGY2MS02OWM5LTQ3MTItYjYzZC0xOWRjZjBkYWVhZjQifQ&startDate=

Reply on Twitter 1352591949405028353Retweet on Twitter 13525919494050283533Like on Twitter 135259194940502835321Twitter 1352591949405028353
Retweet on TwitterAlan Watson Featherstone Retweeted
theSNPThe SNP@theSNP·
5h

☮️ We believe that nuclear weapons are immoral, ineffective and expensive.

❌ In times of imposed Tory austerity, the £205 billion wasted on Trident would be far better spent on improving healthcare, education and building a better future for our children. https://twitter.com/CNDuk/status/1352534256396984320

CND@CNDuk

BIG news!

Our new polling with @Survation, just released, shows:

☮️ 77% of the UK public support a total global ban on nuclear weapons

☮️ 59% want the British government to sign the UN Nuclear Ban Treaty

#TPNW #nuclearban

Reply on Twitter 1352561199720902661Retweet on Twitter 1352561199720902661156Like on Twitter 1352561199720902661455Twitter 1352561199720902661
Retweet on TwitterAlan Watson Featherstone Retweeted
CNDukCND@CNDuk·
24h

The Nuclear Ban Treaty is here!

For the first time, nuclear weapons are illegal under international law.

#nuclearban

Reply on Twitter 1352284090372939780Retweet on Twitter 1352284090372939780181Like on Twitter 1352284090372939780389Twitter 1352284090372939780
Load More...

Copyright © 2021 Alan Watson Featherstone | Wikipedia | LinkedIn