The "Straloch moraines" refer to glacial deposits found near Straloch in Scotland, which were formed by the Loch Lomond Readvance (LLR) glacier. These moraines are interesting because they were created by a local plateau icefield glaciation during the Loch Lomond Stadial (LLR), after the retreat of the main British Ice Sheet. They represent a period of re-advance and local ice formation in the Scottish Highlands and are crucial for understanding the post-Last Glacial Maximum ice history of the region.
Key Facts
Ice Activity:
The moraines were formed by glaciers during the Loch Lomond Stadial, a period of localized re-advance after the last major ice sheet had retreated from Britain.
Local Ice Fields:
Unlike the main ice sheet, these features were formed by smaller, local icefields that persisted on the high grounds of the Scottish Highlands.
Three Types:
Studies in the area have identified three types of moraines related to different glacial phases, with the Straloch moraines associated with Type B and C moraines, corresponding to regional and local ice retreat after the main ice sheet.
Landscape Formation:
Moraines, which are ridges of till, mark the maximum extent of past glaciers and thus reveal their former positions and the extent of their reach.
Research Significance:
These moraines are significant for glaciologists and geomorphologists as they provide valuable evidence for reconstructing the history and extent of glaciation in the region, particularly the Late Devensian and Loch Lomond Stadial periods.
Small White Orchid (Pseudorchis albida) and Lesser Butterfly Orchid (Platanthera bifolia) are found at the Straloch Moraines.