Erris Head
Encyclopedia
Erris Head is a promontory
at the northernmost tip of the Mullet Peninsula, located in the barony of Erris
in northwest County Mayo
, Ireland
. It is a well known and recognised landmark used by mariners and weather forecasters alike. It is also a very scenic viewpoint, with an unspoilt view of the Atlantic Ocean
and steep rocky cliffs. It is not served by any road and can only be reached by crossing a number of fields.
Special Area of Conservation
(SAC). Erris Head SAC comprises approximately 15km of cliff plus adjoining habitats. The geology of the region consists of acid rocks, such as quartzite
, gneiss
and Silurian
schist
s and slate
s. The sea cliffs are very exposed and subject to very high rainfall. They are of moderate height, reaching a maximum of about 90m in the north-east and are predominantly north-facing. An area of sea, extending 200m from the base of the cliffs, forms part of the site. This is included mainly to provide added protection for the cliff-nesting seabirds. A notable habitat on the site is alpine heath, which occurs inland from the tops of the sea cliffs.
Headland
A headland is a point of land, usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends out into a body of water.Headland can also refer to:*Headlands and bays*headLand, an Australian television series...
at the northernmost tip of the Mullet Peninsula, located in the barony of Erris
Erris
Erris is a barony in northwestern County Mayo in Ireland consisting of over , much of which is mountainous blanket bog. It has extensive sea coasts along its west and north boundaries. The main towns are Belmullet and Bangor Erris. The name Erris derives from the Irish 'Iar Ros' meaning 'western...
in northwest County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It is a well known and recognised landmark used by mariners and weather forecasters alike. It is also a very scenic viewpoint, with an unspoilt view of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and steep rocky cliffs. It is not served by any road and can only be reached by crossing a number of fields.
Special Area of Conservation
Erris Head is a European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
Special Area of Conservation
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
(SAC). Erris Head SAC comprises approximately 15km of cliff plus adjoining habitats. The geology of the region consists of acid rocks, such as quartzite
Quartzite
Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
, gneiss
Gneiss
Gneiss is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from pre-existing formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks.-Etymology:...
and Silurian
Silurian
The Silurian is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Ordovician Period, about 443.7 ± 1.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Devonian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya . As with other geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period's start and end are well identified, but the...
schist
Schist
The schists constitute a group of medium-grade metamorphic rocks, chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar minerals such as micas, chlorite, talc, hornblende, graphite, and others. Quartz often occurs in drawn-out grains to such an extent that a particular form called quartz schist is...
s and slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
s. The sea cliffs are very exposed and subject to very high rainfall. They are of moderate height, reaching a maximum of about 90m in the north-east and are predominantly north-facing. An area of sea, extending 200m from the base of the cliffs, forms part of the site. This is included mainly to provide added protection for the cliff-nesting seabirds. A notable habitat on the site is alpine heath, which occurs inland from the tops of the sea cliffs.