Barnaslingan

About

Barnaslingan (Irish: Barr na Slinneán, meaning 'summit of the shoulder blades') is a 238 metres (781 feet) high hill in County Dublin, Ireland. It is most noted for the geological feature known as The Scalp (Irish: An Scailp, meaning 'the chasm' or "cleft") that lies to the west of the summit. The Scalp comprises a deep channel that was formed by meltwater erosion during deglaciation towards the end of the last Ice Age, approximately 12,000 years ago. Initially the Scalp was a subglacial channel, formed under the ice. It later carried surface glacial outwash from the north into Glacial Lake Enniskerry, draining the ice sheet which covered the Irish Midlands close to its zone of convergence with Irish Sea Glacier. The channel carried huge amounts of subglacial meltwater resulting in a very high energy meltwater flow. This is the basis for the Scalp’s unusual depth and size. The Scalp is oriented north–south, and extends for a distance of approximately 700m. As a site of geological/geomorphological significance, it is listed as an Area of Scientific Interest. The steep, rocky slopes are home to a herd of feral goats and the area is also a habitat for deer and badgers. The route of the R117 road passes through The Scalp between Kilternan and Enniskerry. Even though the floor of the valley is quite narrow, a small number of buildings are situated along the roadside. The most pro

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.