The Niarbyl Fault is an exposed section of the Iapetus Suture, a fault caused by the collision of two ancient tectonic plates – Avalonia on which present-day England is located and Laurentia which contains North America and parts of Scotland – that extends across the Irish Sea. The fault is visible close to the shoreline downhill from the Niarbyl Cafe and Visitor Centre in Niarbyl; you can place each foot on different rocks derived from two separate continents. The area also offers a hidden bay and dramatic coastal path with views across to the Mountains of Mourne in Ireland on a clear day and along the Manx coastline to the Calf of Man. One of the fishermen’s cottages here was used as Ned Devine’s cottage in the 1998 film Waking Ned. Photo credit: “File:Iapetus Suture – Niarbyl Fault – Isle of Man – kingsley – 23-JUN-09.jpg” by Gregory J Kingsley (talk) is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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