North West Highlands Geopark
Empowering the people and communities of Scotland’s North West Coast
We live in a beautiful place, which may look wild and empty, but it has been home to people for thousands of years. It carries the imprint of our activities, past and present, almost everywhere you look. Our UNESCO Global Geopark status is a really special recognition of how we work together to enhance geological heritage, and promote research and enjoyment. Our Charity is the custodian of that status, supporting and encouraging partnership working to manage the North West Highlands together using the UNESCO Global Geopark model for sustainable development.
Artists in the Inaccessible Talk
New Series of Winter Zoom Talks with the NWHGeopark
Earth Mind Geotours 2027
Guided Tours of Knockan Crag
We are hiring at the Rock Stop!
Introducing our new Geopark Education & Engagement Officer!
We are hiring! We are looking for an Education & Engagement Officer
Dark Skies Festival
Highlands Controversy Geotour 2026
Latest News
Interested in what’s been going on at the Geopark? Check out some of our latest news stories below to find out more!
Our Geopark
Story
Our vision is for the North West Highlands to become a thriving and sustainable rural economy.
Beneath
The Mountains
New Guides
Available
With funding from NatureScot and the Highland Council a new Tour Guide is now here.
Support our Geopark
The North West Highlands GeoPark Limited is a social enterprise and a charity which re-invests profits to ensure ongoing development of geo-tourism projects, conservation and educational programmes.
Become a Friend of our GeoPark
As a friend of the Geopark you will be helping to support the management of our vitally important geological area.
Volunteer at our GeoPark
Volunteering with the North West Highlands UNESCO Global Geopark allows you to play a part in something unique and special.
Donate to our GeoPark
Please click the ‘Donate’ button below to be invited to donate via Paypal. If you’d like to purchase a car sticker or pin badge to show your support, head over to our online shop.
Keep up to date with all
the latest from the Geopark.
Subscribe to the Northwest Highlands Geopark Newsletter and keep up to date with the latest news, developments, and happenings; from the Geopark straight to your inbox.
About
our Geopark
We believe that being part of a Global Network gives us a collective strength, both in giving our region a louder voice, and in furthering our knowledge.
Our Vision
We believe in creating a thriving, sustainable rural economy. Working in partnership with local government, relevant agencies and local businesses we are nurturing connections between the people and places at the heart of the Geopark.
Our Mission
Our mission is to celebrate, conserve and promote our unique, internationally recognised geological heritage in a manner consistent with our status as a Scottish Registered Charity and a UNESCO accredited NGO. We are visibly embedded in our communities, both local and international, and work alongside trusted partners who share our values and aspirations. In so doing, we aspire to use this heritage to help maintain economically sustainable communities, being ever mindful of climate change and wider social issues.
Geopark Ambassadors
To best support our charitable mission we have established light touch collaborations with other local businesses and organisations who share similar values and goals.
Discover Our Geoheritage
Geoheritage
at our Geopark
Stunning mountain landscapes, clean sandy beaches, ancient settlements, thriving communities – North West Highlands Geopark offers one of the best opportunities to explore wild places in Europe. Find out about the building blocks of our Geopark here.
A Moving Story
A Moving Story
Although the ground beneath our feet seems solid, in reality the surface of the Earth is made up of a number of plates which float across its surface. When plates move away from each other this can create huge rifts, faults and volcanic ridges.
The Big Freeze
The Big Freeze
2.4 million years ago the climate cooled so dramatically that Europe was plunged into an Ice Age lasting until 11,500 years ago.
Reading The Rocks
Reading the Rocks
Sedimentary rock starts out as little grains carried along in rivers and streams and is built up of many layers of sediment, eventually becoming compacted under the weight of layers above until it becomes rock. Erosion along the coast has exposed these rocks and in some places you can see ripple marks made by an ancient river.
The Highlands Controversy
The Highlands Controversy
By the start of the 19th century, geologists were beginning to examine regions in some detail. In 1819, Dr John MacCulloch published a work in three volumes, A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland… which remained the classic account of the geology of the area for at least fifty years.
Edward Greenly
Edward Greenly: Working on the Geological Survey 1888-1895
When looking at the history of 19th century geology in Scotland, and in particular, at the Highlands Controversy, certain names stand out: Murchison and Geikie, for example, and later, Callaway and Lapworth.
Pebble Routes pack
£5.00
Coigach Geotrail
£3.00
The Geopark Online Shop
Whether visiting form afar or looking to learn more about your local Geopark, you’ll find plenty of helpful guides and local resources in the Geopark Online Shop!
Upcoming Events
Events at
our Geopark
We host a number of different events to help you engage with the Geopark. Discover our events today to find out how you can engage with the Geopark.
Artists in the Inaccessible: Painters, and Paintings of the Far North-West of Scotland.
Alastair Mitchell explores the paintings of the far north of Scotland from 18th century to the present day. The landscape of Sutherland and Ross-shire is as spectacular as anywhere in the British Isles, offering immense possibilities to mountaineers, geologists and artists. Narrowing down his research originally carried out for his book The Immeasurable Wilds, Alastair Mitchell has studied the artwork of the region through the centuries, and in particular, those artists who have been drawn to this wonderful part of Scotland. His work has revealed that, whilst there are plenty of examples dating from the 20th century, there is remarkably little from the 19th century and earlier. His talk, Artists in the Inaccessible, will show what he has found, with examples from both his own collection and from museums and galleries. The range will include work by both professionals and amateurs, some very scarce, including a pair of oil paintings of the Kyle of Tongue which are at present languishing in storage in the Government Art Collection, and which Alastair believes should be hanging on display somewhere in Scotland. Biography Alastair Mitchell is the author of The Immeasurable Wilds, a book that explores the history of the North-West of Scotland from the 17th century onwards – who visited the region, how they got there and why they made the difficult journey. He was able to combine a career as an orchestral musician with that of an antique dealer, from which latter, he has assembled a large collection of items relating to this part of Scotland. He has been a regular visitor to the North-West since the 1960s, his parents retiring to the Kyle of Tongue in the 1980s, and he is a firm advocate for spreading the word of the wonders of this part of Britain, which even now he believes does not always get the attention it deserves further south. Book your ticket for Artists in the Inaccessible
Book NowZoom Talk – James Hutton and the Scottish Enlightenment
To celebrate the 300th anniversary of the birth of James Hutton there will be a talk hosted by Alan McKirdy. Alan McKirdy has published many books popularising the subject including the series ‘Landscapes Set in Stone’ on the country’s regional geology. Alan’s recent revision of ‘James Hutton, The Founder of Modern Geology’ follows many years of dedication to this brilliant eighteenth century Scottish polymath who discovered and presented ground-breaking evidence that changed our perception of time and the age of the Earth. Alan will bring to his talk ‘James Hutton and the Scottish Enlightenment’, his depth of knowledge on geology with his unique insights on James Hutton, the extraordinary impact on science of his brilliance and the historical and cultural context during which he developed his ‘Theory of the Earth’. Biography: A graduate of Aberdeen University, Alan worked for the Nature Conservancy Council in Newbury and then for Scottish Natural Heritage in Edinburgh and Perth for 36 years. With SNH, he was Head of Earth Sciences, Habitats and Species, managing 45 staff, many of whom were subject specialists in a wide variety of topics including geology, geomorphology, freshwater ecology, species conservation and upland ecology. He has written over 20 books and many scientific papers and book chapters. Since retirement he has given many talks at book festivals and other events throughout the country on James Hutton and the geology and landscapes of Scotland” Booking details to follow.
Book Now
Zoom Talk – The Rocks of the Geopark in Section
A talk on the rocks of the Geopark by Steve Hirons of Birkbeck College More details to follow
Book Now
Zoom Talk – Brown Bears of Assynt
Kate Britton of Aberdeen University discusses the life and habitat of the now extinct brown bears of Assynt. More details to follow
Book Now