Wednesday, April 13, 2011

The missing anvil of Ailsa Craig.

After the gasworks we came to the quarry man's house. I stayed here for nearly a week in the summer of 1973.

We continued south to the old forge buildings. They were relatively intact in 1973 but have been demolished to reclaim their granite blocks.

Somewhere I have an old transparency of the huge anvil but despite its size, there was no sign of it now.

The old bellows from the forge were still there.

Not much grows on the talus of granite boulders that lie at the foot of this side of Ailsa Craig.

Along the shore, above high water a series of hollows have been excavated. They were made by fishermen who would drag their boats above high water and cover the depressions with their spars and sails. The area is known as the fishermen's camp.

We now set off, away from the lighthouse, towards the south fog horn.