66 – 0 million years ago
The Cenozoic Era has seen the birth and growth of the Atlantic Ocean. Prior to this, Scotland lay ‘sandwiched’ between North America and Europe, forming part of one vast continent. Tectonic movements led to the break up of this continent and the result was that Scotland witnessed a period of intense volcanic activity. More recently in the Quaternary, the landscape has been shaped into its present form by numerous ice ages.