Sandstones and flagstones of Middle Old Red Sandstone age (Caithness Flagstones in Caithness, Rousay Flags and Stromness Flags in Orkney).
Greyish brown in subsoil, locally brown - ochreous mottling pronounced.
Topsoil usually a loam texture with sandy clay loam subsoil but subsoil textures can range from sandy loam to loam. Slightly to moderately stony in subsoil.
Permanent pasture, arable.
Gently undulating till plain with level and gentle slopes.
Percentage base saturation is high in the subsoil with pH values in the range 5.5 to 7.0.
Low to moderate total phosphorus and often high molybdenum.
Potential rooting depth is around 25-30cm due to compact, moderately-fine textured subsoil which also restricts water movement through the profile. Bedrock is generally present at depths of about 1m. Massive soil structure at depth.
SERIES NAME | SOIL TYPE | DRAINAGE | PARENT MATERIAL |
---|---|---|---|
Bilbster | Humus iron podzol [2] and podzol | Free and imperfect | Drift |
Camster | Peaty podzol [3] | Free and imperfectbelow iron pan | Drift |
Hunster | Noncalcareous gley [4] (SW) | Poor and very poor | Drift |
Knitchen | Alpine podzol | Free | Drift |
Mousland | Saline gley | Poor | Drift and thin drift |
Ness | Noncalcareous gley [4] | Poor | Thin drift |
Olrig | Peaty gley [5] (SW) | Poor and very poor | Drift |
Sibster | Noncalcareous gley [4] | Poor | Drift with partiallysorted upper layers |
Thurso | Noncalcareous gley [4] (SW) | Poor | Drift |
Thurskel | Skeletal soil [6] | Variable | Very shallow driftand residual |
Links:
[1] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/images/explorescotland/es-soil-association-thurso.jpg
[2] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/learning/exploringscotland/soils/humusironpodzols
[3] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/learning/exploringscotland/soils/peatypodzols
[4] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/learning/exploringscotland/soils/noncalcareousgleys
[5] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/learning/exploringscotland/soils/peatygleys
[6] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/learning/exploringscotland/soils/rankers
[7] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/staff/allan-lilly
[8] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/learning/exploringscotland/introduction
[9] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/learning/exploringscotland/soils
[10] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/learning/exploringscotland/soils/parentmaterial