Lóda na Núille
The Lóda na Núille (Rockallian for: Mountains of Mist) are a mountain range in the nation of Rockall in the Seafaring Confederation. They make up approximately 87% of all the islands of the Earldom of Rockall. The highest point is Buaic na nÉairreache (Peak of Snow) on the border of the viscountcies of An Móir Leautheinn, An Thir na tÁirdteachd and Cóste Ígheainne with 3,123 metres.
The Lóda na Núille are part of the Caledonide mountain range of which the Highlands and the Scandinavian mountains are also part. The mountains in the northeast are separated from each other by the Highland Boundary Fault.
Location
The Lóda na Núille lie mostly central in the island lying in such a location that they have earned the nickname An gCnáimh na Chúille, "the Backbone".
The mountains cover approximately 78% of the Earldom to some extent, meaning that the land still has a rocky underground that is no deeper than 2 metres underneath the surface. The mountains are present in every viscountcy and in every barony, though not in every baronetcy.
Geography
Geology
The Lóda na Núille are a caledonide mountain range, which means that they share the same geology with the Scandinavian Mountains in Scandinavia, the Grampian Mountains in the Highlands and Scotland, and the Appalachian Mountains in North America.
The higher mountain tops are mostly granite with lower layers of softer rock, the softest of which, limestone, has often been eroded away over the centuries to form massive cave systems like the Heaoinnighléafhenóigéaoith caves on Gléaoinnenoileun or the Ceoinnealuimha in Cóste Ígheainne. It is also believed that the Valley of Eternal Rain was created by the internal erosion of limestone to the point that the granite covering the eroded cave collapsed under its own weight, creating the valley.
Topography
The Lóda na Núille are present in every viscountcy of the Earldom, in some cases even creating the natural border between one viscountcy and the other.
Of the 282 baronetcies, 188 are geographically fully located in the mountains. An additional 46 baronetcies are located partially in the mountains. Of the 282 baronetcies, only 48 are not located in the mountains at all, and this usually only due to their small size. This means that 66.7% of the baronetcies is located completely in mountainous area, and that 83% is at least partially located in the mountains.
Flora
The Lóda na Núille are covered by many different floral species, most of which are grasses and flowers. Depending on the attitude, the kinds of grasses and the kinds of flowers may differ, with several common as well as endemic species and, due to interaction with the Alpine Nations, also several Alpine flowers, e.g. the Edelweiss.
The forests of the lower altitudes are mostly fully deciduous temperate rainforests with plates, chestnuts, oaks, fruit trees and birches, with an undergrowth that usually consists of a large variety of common, rare and endemic ferns and bushes. The forests of the higher altitudes are usually a mix of deciduous and coniferous, although the top belt, along the tree line, tends to be completely coniferous, with especially many larches.