coire

Coire is a Scottish Gaelic term for a bowl-shaped, amphitheatre-like hollow on a mountainside, formed by glacial erosion. In English, the landform is usually called a corrie or cirque. The word coire derives from Gaelic for cauldron or pot, reflecting its basin-like silhouette in the landscape.

Formation: A coire forms when a glacier occupies a hollow on a mountainside, plucking and abrading the bedrock to create an overdeepened basin. A steep headwall and a lip at the outer edge are typical, marking where ice spilled into the adjacent valley. As the glacier retreats, the basin may host a small lake (a tarn), and the sides are often fringed with scree and moraines that record the glacier’s extent. Some coire show multiple benches corresponding to former glacier stages.

Characteristics and naming: Coire planforms range from nearly circular to broad amphitheatres. The back wall is usually high, and the rim provides a natural boundary in the landscape. In Gaelic place-names, “coire” identifies such corrie features, and the diminutive “coireachan” denotes smaller corries.

Distribution and significance: The term is chiefly used in Scotland, especially in the Highlands and Islands, to describe glaciated upland terrain. Similar landforms occur worldwide under other names, reflecting common glacial processes. Coire features are important in geomorphology for reconstructing past climate and in outdoor recreation for their dramatic scenery and habitats.