Cuillin range. Cracks and fissures in the rock provided pathways for later magma intrusions, leading to dykes of basalt which are commonly seen across Skye. The Red Cuillin also have volcanic origins, being formed from a later intrusion of acidic, granitic rock. This granite was more uniformly eroded by wind and water than the gabbro and basalt, causing the red hills to have smoother outlines. The Cuillin provide classic examples of glacial topography and were the subject of an early published account by James Forbes in 1846 (who had become a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh aged only nineteen).
Kirk in the Hills continued during the construction of the church until a disastrous fire destroyed most of the roof. The Church held its first services in the sanctuary on November 23, 1958. Kirk in the Hills is modeled after Scotland's Melrose Abbey. Set on of beautifully landscaped lakeside grounds, Kirk in the Hills constitutes a fine example of Gothic architecture in the United States. "Kirk" is the Scottish word for "Church". The church includes the Tower of the Apostles. The tower, which houses the world's largest carillon in the number of bells contained, was installed in 1960. The Bells were donated by the