Geology rocks!

For its size, Scotland has the most varied geology and landforms in the world. You can see:

• the remains of ancient lava flows and volcanoes
• rocks formed from mud and sand, deposited in ancient environments as diverse as shallow tropical seas and scorching deserts
• plants and animals, from past geological ages, now preserved as fossils; some of the worlds oldest rocks, which have been heated and altered by burial deep underground
• how Ice Age glaciers and meltwater rivers have carved the landscape and changed the relative levels of the land and sea
• and much, much more!

There are many places where you can see Scotland's amazing rocks, fossils and the legacy of our Ice Age past.

Geology trails

Get out and about on local Geotrails and learn more about Scotland's past first hand.

Geoparks

Scotland's Geoparks are a great place to investigate Scotland's rocks, and discover how our icy past has help shape the landscape we see today.

Related Links

Geological sites

Scotland also has many famous or 'classic' geological sites which you can visit.

Collecting fossils

If collecting fossils in Scotland find out how to do it responsibly.

Geodiversity

Find out what geodiversity is, why it's important and what we can do to protect it.