Isle Of Skye Marble Quarry

Marble quarries kilchrist broadford isle of skye eilean á chèo highland scotland uk.

Isle of skye marble quarry.

It is suitable unlike most of skye s paths for wheelchairs pushchairs and less mobile walkers. A large factory was built near the quarry for cutting and polishing the quarried blocks. The walk starts at the ruined church of kilchrist cill chriosd on the road from broadford to elgol. The grid ref is the approx center of the various sites and is not a specific location.

Skye marble has been extracted from strath suardal for centuries. The old marble quarries themselves are very interesting to explore. The first section of the walk passes the industrial remains of an old railway platform and marble quarry then over the hillside to boreraig. An island of rugged beauty known as the isle of mists on scotland s west coast skye is blessed with its own unique marble which formed millions of years ago in the shadows of the cuillin mountain range.

This part of skye is made primarily of durness limestone. Marble was discovered near kilchrist in strath suardal about 3 miles 5 kilometres south west of broadford around 1907. Once you arrive on the isle of skye take the a87 to broadford turning off at the broadford hotel and head along the b8083 towards elgol. The marble line path follows the line of an old railway track between broadford and the strath suardal marble quarries.

It was formed when the ancient durness limestone of cambrian age was heated and recrystallised metamorphosed when hot magma was forced up through these rocks. Waymarked easy going path suitable for all terrain prams and wheelchairs except for one steep section to the second quarry which can be avoided. A narrow gauge line built in 1907 ran for 3 miles from the quarry at suardale to broadford pier. Marble from torrin was used in armadale castle and iona abbey.

Part of the only seam of true marble in britain the unique colour and pattern of every piece reflects the lush hebridean landscape. When you reach torrin look out for the signpost on the left hand side of the road by the entrance to the leiths skye marble quarry drive along and turn off the main road taking the tarmac drive on your left when you see the sign for 9 torrin holidays. The skye marble railway was a 3 ft 914 mm narrow gauge industrial railway on the isle of skye in scotland. Good views of blaven and the surrounding hills.

Marble is mined and crushed on site producing agricultural lime pebbledash for housing ready mix concrete products and some decorative marble. Skye marble skye marble quarry torrin isle of skye scotland skye marble is one of the only true marbles in britain. The light railway extended 4 mi 6 km from broadford pier to the quarries. An easy going walk tracing the line of the railway line for the marble quarries at kilchrist.

The minerals recorded at the various marble quarries also includes some species found in the.