ESCR - Tempo Valley Delta Complex - Upland areas of the Fintona Hills

Earth Science Conservation Review

Summary Full report
Tempo Valley Delta Complex - Upland areas of the Fintona Hills	Tyrone

Site number:	516
ESCC:	IS
Locality Type:	Inland exposure	Status:	TBC
Grid Reference:	H332484,H309452,H309451 Corners of site, Not Entered
Google maps:	54.38361,-7.489
County:	Tyrone	Council area:	Fermanagh & Omagh District Council
Period:	Quaternary

Site Description
Description:
The extreme southwestern part of the Fintona Hills forms the watershed between the Omagh Basin to the north and the Clogher/Tempo valleys to the south. This area is characterised by isolated bedrock uplands (to 316m at Brougher Mountain) aligned northeast-southwest, separated by cols which are generally aligned east-west. Further, these cols are often associated with bedrock- and hummocky diamict-floored water bodies, such as Derrin Lough (H332484), Toppedmountain Lough (H309452) and Lough Skale (H309451). These upland areas (c. <120m) are also characterised by isolated diamict mounds and ridges. These ridges are generally contour-parallel. A section is exposed in one of these mounds (10 x 10m diameter), at Curraghnakeely (H323498). Although of diamict, it is discussed here because it contributes to the regional deglaciation history. The Curraghnakeely exposure (2m high by 20m long) shows a matrix-supported sandy diamict. Clasts are up to 60cm in diameter and generally subrounded or edge-rounded. Clast lithology is dominantly of limestone (c. 80%) with a minor component of schist, quartzite and ORS. Occasional discontinuous and deformed stringers of fine sand are also found in the central part of the exposure. Towards the right hand side of the exposure, a rived limestone boulder (60 x 40 x 30cm) is surrounded by a carapace of ORS and quartzite pebbles and granules in a macerated medium and fine sand matrix. This exposure is interpreted as a deformed ice-marginal diamict, emplaced by mass flow processes. Evidence for flowage includes crude clast layering and interbeds of well-sorted sand and silt. Clasts dip towards 000-040§ and indicate emplacement from the north. Charlesworth (1924) believed that this upland area is characterised by recessional moraines recording westward ice retreat from the lowlands of the Tempo and Clogher Valleys. Evidence from Curraghnakeely is in broad agreement with this view.
Notes:
For site specific information on other sites within the Tempo Valley Delta Complex see the following sites: Key Site 513 - Tempo Valley Delta Complex - Glengesh and Tattinweer Key Site 514 - Tempo Valley Delta Complex - Tempo and Pubble Key Site 515 - Tempo Valley Delta Complex - Lough Eyes For overview information and references on the Tempo Valley Delta Complex see the following site: Key Site 485 - Tempo Valley Delta Complex - Overview For general information and references on the sand and gravel landscapes of N. Ireland, and for directions to other regional sand and gravel sites, see the following site: Key Site 439 - Introduction to the Sand and Gravel Landscapes of N. Ireland

Keywords
Rocks:	Diamict
Geomorph:	recessional moraine


Record type:	ESCR report
Entered by:	E M Porter

Enlander, I., Dempster, M. & Doughty, P., 2026. Tempo Valley Delta Complex - Upland areas of the Fintona Hills, County Tyrone, site details. [In] Earth Science Conservation Review.
https://www.habitas.org.uk/escr/site.php?item=516. Accessed on 2026-11-07.