Editing North Uist (section)

== Geology ==
In common with the rest of the [[Western Isles]], North Uist is formed from the oldest rocks in Britain, the [[Lewisian gneiss]] which dates from the [[Archean|Archaean]] eon.  A zone running west from Lochmaddy to Baleshare has abundant [[metasedimentary rock|metasediments]] and [[metavolcanic rock|metavolcanics]]. The direction of inclination of layered textures or [[Foliation (geology)|foliation]] in this [[metamorphic rock]] is typically to the north but varies widely across the island. Pockets of [[metabasalt|metabasic rocks]] equivalent to the Scourie dyke suite are developed in certain areas, particularly in the north. Banded metabasic rocks and Archaean [[granite]]s are found in the northwest around Loch Phaibeil. A band of [[pseudotachylyte]] curves north the northwest through the centre of the island.<ref>{{cite web |title=Uist and Barra (South) |url=http://www.largeimages.bgs.ac.uk/iip/mapsportal.html?id=1002540 |website=BGS large map images |publisher=British Geological Survey |access-date=3 February 2020}}</ref>
The island is traversed by numerous [[normal fault]]s many of which run broadly NW-SE though ranging from E-W to NNW-SSE. [[Loch Eport]] is developed along one such fault. The Outer Hebrides Thrust Zone runs along the eastern coast of the island and brings distinctive gneisses which form the rough hilly terrain along that coast.  More recent geological deposits include [[machair|blown sand]] along the northern and western coasts and [[peat]] inland.<ref>{{cite web |title=Onshore Geoindex |url=https://mapapps2.bgs.ac.uk/geoindex/home.html |website=British Geological Survey |publisher=British Geological Survey |access-date=3 February 2020}}</ref>