Slate Islands weekend:
A visit to the historic Easdale slate quarries

Led by Dr Joan Walsh (University of Paisley)

This weekend excursion examined former slate quarries on the islands of Easdale and Luing, looking at aspects of the geology, quarrying and industrial heritage. Known in its day as ‘the roof of the world’, Easdale slate provided the distinctive ‘Scots’ roofing slate which characterises many of Scotland’s cities and towns.

In August, 2004, the NSI held a very successful weekend visit to the quarries on the 'Slate Islands', which lie on the west coast of Scotland about 10 miles south of Oban. Of these, Easdale is the best known and it was here that the Scottish slate industry first began. Easdale slate was used to roof Glasgow Cathedral in the 12th century and the quarries continued to produce more slate than all the other Scottish quarries until surpassed by Ballachulish in the 1860s. As demand for slate grew in the 19th century, new quarries were opened on the adjacent islands of Seil, Luing and Belnahua, but Easdale continued to be the best known. Slates from the islands were transported by sea around the north of Scotland to all the major east coast towns and through the Crinan Canal to Glasgow and other centres on the west coast.

On a beautiful, sunny, summer day, the NSI party visited Easdale Island to view the old workings. Slate was produced from two seams running NNE-SSW on either side of the island and the quarries were worked to a depth of over 60m, with only a small wall left to protect the workings and workers from the sea. The remains of the sea wall are still visible but in many places it has now been breached and several of the quarries are open to the sea. Throughout the island, evidence of its history is to be seen, from the quarriers' cottages to the remains of the tramways used to transport the slate to the harbour. There is also a good museum, which provides a vivid record of the lives of the quarrymen and their families.

On the following day the party followed the slate seam down the west coast of the neighbouring island of Luing, starting with a small working in the north close to Cuan Sound, passing through Port Mary, now a ghost village, and continuing to the very large working at Cullipool. This quarry was the last survivor of the once buoyant industry. In common with most of the slate quarries in Scotland, production on all the Slate Islands ceased during the First World War. Cullipool was one of the quarries chosen to be re-opened in an attempt to revive the industry after the war. Commercial production ceased finally in 1966, although several of the workers continued to produce slate into the 1970s.

A short visit was made to Toberonochy on the east side of Luing and the party was entertained to tea by Tina Avery and her husband Brice, who were able to give a graphic account of the problems of restoring one of the former quarriers’ cottages. The evening concluded with an enjoyable meal at the famous Seafood and Oyster Bar at Ellenabeich Harbour, overlooking the quarry which was permanently flooded after the sea wall was breached in a spectacular storm in 1881.

On the return journey, the party took the opportunity to visit Khartoum Quarry, one of the Ballachulish quarries and the site of a recent exercise in testing slate.

Dr Joan Walsh
Paisley University

NSI Excursions 2005

We are also keen to hear ideas for excursions in 2005, particularly outside Scotland. If you have any suggestions, please contact Ewan Hyslop (e.hyslop@bgs.ac.uk or 0131 667 1000).