Coastal and Oceanic Landforms ( 31.Machair)

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distribution in machair in Scotland

• Machair  is Gaelic, meaning an extensive.

• A  fertile low-lying grassy plain.

• Formed from more mineral-based sand.

• This helps ‘links’ of eastern coasts.

• Machair is one of the rarest habitats in Europe.

• The best and most extensive in the Uists , Barra &Tiree.

• Machair sand has a high shell content 80%/ 90%.

• Not native to Orkney and Shetland.

The machair on Berneray, Outer Hebrides

Found on;

1.North-west coastlines ofIreland.

2.Scotland  Outer Hebrides.

examples;

• Machrihanish in Kintyre
• Machair Bay in Islay
• Magheramore 
• Maghera Strand in Ireland

Two distinct types exist:

• A type of sand-dune pasture to agricultural cultivation, Prevails in wet & windy conditions.

• The land between a beach & the  sand encroaches area on peat bogs  inland.

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