This weekend, I survived an earthquake. No, really.
Actually, to be more correct, I slept through it. Yes, Scotland may boast a fautline in the form of the Great Glen, but quakes are rarely noticeable, and Sunday morning’s came in at a modest 3.5 on the Richter scale. Nicole and I were in Fort Augustus for the night, and others in the house felt it.
I’ve been in a few other considerably more famous earthquake zones, such as San Francisco or Napier, and there is evidence in both of reconstruction, new waves of building, and the psychological footprint of the cities having survived something big and perhaps been stronger for it.
I wonder how different Scottish history might have been if our geology was just a bit more tempestuous.
Well the Grampians were formed by a piece of Canada* breaking off and crashing into England. They used to be higher than the Himalayas are today. And then the British weather washed it all away.
*Scottish geology is quite different to the rest of the UK.
Indeed. If the economic and political reasons for Scottish independence weren’t strong enough, there’s a geological argument too. Not many secessionist movements can argue for that (except all islands, overseas colonies etc).