tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post1436380381545634628..comments2023-11-29T07:39:34.401+00:00Comments on Carla Nayland Historical Fiction: Stob Ban, in the MamoresCarlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901028520813891575noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-62659123331376406362010-06-24T05:17:54.846+01:002010-06-24T05:17:54.846+01:00Those factors explain a lot!Those factors explain a lot!Rickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16932015378213238346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-88795936664851976562010-06-22T16:44:16.556+01:002010-06-22T16:44:16.556+01:00A combination of factors, I think, mainly related ...A combination of factors, I think, mainly related to the harsh environment. The high Scottish mountains, especially the big plateaux like the Cairngorms in the east, have a micro-climate resembling tundra or sub-arctic. <br />- Low temperatures at altitude mean slow plant growth. Mean maximum summer temperatures in Fort William (sea level) are about 16-17 C. Temperature decreases at about 3 C or so for every 300 m of height gain, so the tops of the Mamores ridge at 900m or so (see the map link in the main post for heights above sea level, given in metres) are going to be 9 C cooler than at sea level, so only about 7-8 C or so. Also snow cover for several months of the year truncates the growing season. These photos were taken in mid-May, and I would guess that the snow had only been gone from most of the ridges for a couple of weeks. <br />- Wind, which both dries and buffets vegetation, so only low-growing tough plants survive, and not many of those. The wind is a near-constant feature of British hill country, far more so than in, say, the Alps. <br />- Thin shallow soil, or no soil at all on the areas where the rock is either crags or shifting scree. <br />- Some grazing pressure by red deer and/or sheep. There aren't many sheep on the Mamores ridge (in fact, I don't remember seeing any), so they aren't anything like as big a factor as in, say, the English Lake District. Red deer move up to higher ground in summer to escape the midges in the corries, so they would contribute to grazing pressure.Carlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11901028520813891575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-69211283033998141722010-06-22T15:24:56.562+01:002010-06-22T15:24:56.562+01:00What IS the cause of the relative lack of foliage?...What IS the cause of the relative lack of foliage? Possibly even direct or indirect human activity, the way goats have deforested Mediterranean lands?Rickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16932015378213238346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-72037900822520004652010-06-22T11:03:37.581+01:002010-06-22T11:03:37.581+01:00In this case, the desert-like look isn't due t...In this case, the desert-like look isn't due to a lack of rain :-)Carlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11901028520813891575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-14811970330201920202010-06-21T02:42:31.359+01:002010-06-21T02:42:31.359+01:00The rocky ridges, yes, but even more the overall s...The rocky ridges, yes, but even more the overall starkness, which has a semi-desert look to it.Rickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16932015378213238346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-51405268299898626612010-06-20T13:01:00.630+01:002010-06-20T13:01:00.630+01:00Rick - in what way do they look Western? I guess ...Rick - in what way do they look Western? I guess because of the rocky ridges?Carlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11901028520813891575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-70632215606416231552010-06-12T04:44:29.985+01:002010-06-12T04:44:29.985+01:00Belatedly - these have almost a Western look to th...Belatedly - these have almost a Western look to them, much unlike my stereotype of Britain!Rickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16932015378213238346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-36987875116869380732010-06-04T13:45:33.782+01:002010-06-04T13:45:33.782+01:00Thanks all! Credit to the mountains :-)Thanks all! Credit to the mountains :-)Carlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11901028520813891575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-20277660119796073592010-06-02T19:45:49.533+01:002010-06-02T19:45:49.533+01:00The pictures are good enough to give me vicarious ...The pictures are good enough to give me vicarious vertigo! Bravely climbed...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-81173779986426746872010-06-02T00:16:59.128+01:002010-06-02T00:16:59.128+01:00Way cool! Wish I was there! :)Way cool! Wish I was there! :)Constance Brewerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17964121072645959593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-89942678795170134652010-06-01T18:31:44.842+01:002010-06-01T18:31:44.842+01:00Beautiful pictures!Beautiful pictures!Susan Higginbothamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517907583894026599noreply@blogger.com