facts

"Received from Andy Baird by email 27 August 2002

The 'Ailsa Craig' chapter from my new book, 'Brush Up Your Ayrshire', a more-or-less definitive guide to tourist attractions in Ayrshire, Arran, Bute and Cumbrae, but of course, I couldn't leave out Ailsa Craig. More details about the book and an order form for any country in the world can be had from www.westwardmedia.com, but of course the book is available from many booksellers throughout Ayrshire and the islands or Tourist Information offices.

Ailsa Craig, from the Gaelic ailsse creag, meaning ‘fairy rock’, can be seen from all parts of the Ayrshire coast, not surprising, considering it's 1110 feet high (338 m). Looking like a giant crusty bread roll, it's technically a granite volcanic plug about 1300 yards long (1100 m) and about 900 yards (820 m) across. It’s about 10 miles (16 km) off the coast, roughly halfway between the mainland and Ireland, hence its moniker, "Paddy's Milestone". What even some locals probably don't know is that it's the home of the third largest gannet colony in the world, with about 70,000 birds on average. For that reason, it is a registered Site of Special Scientific Interest, maybe even a European Special Protection Area.

Granite was mined from Ailsa Craig from the early 1800's to about 1971 for the making of kerb stones and curling stones, though recently, there has been a bit of a revival of quarrying, with one factory being licenced to take the granite. The items are made in Mauchline (see entry, "Burns House Museum"), and exported all over the world. From the harbour at Girvan, cruises to the island can be made aboard the MFV Glorious (phone 01465 713219 for details), or the Rachael Clare, (phone 01294 833724), weather permitting. A four-hour trip costs about £9 per adult, but note that the boats are only about 30 ft long (10 m), and not entirely covered, so whatever the weather, you will need protection. The Clyde can be pretty lumpy, so bear that in mind, too. If the sea is calm, you can land and spend some time on it, enough to have a look at the ruined miners' cottages - no, that should read the miners' ruined cottages - the old narrow-gauge railway running from the quarry, the lighthouse dating from 1886, and the old foghorn. (There's a mother-in-law joke in there, but I daren't make it!) In its heyday, the island’s population was 29, made up of miners, their families, and lighthouse keepers. Their cottages were sold in 1999, complete with their own helicopter pad. At the time of writing, there are plans to open the cottages as luxury holiday homes for rent, but some conservation groups are opposed to the idea.

It is known that Ailsa Craig was owned by the Abbey at Crossraguel in the early 1400's, when apparently, ambitious and therefore recalcitrant abbots were sent here to cool off a bit. In those days, abbots weren’t necessarily men of holy orders, so it must have been a busy place. Nowadays, the really energetic visitor may have a chance to climb to the top, via the path that passes a ruined castle. The castle had three storeys and was built by the powerful Hamilton family in the late 1500's, after Philip of Spain tried to capture the island for himself. Why on earth a Spanish king wanted a big rock in the middle of the Firth of Clyde, I can't imagine. It's nice in its own way, but it's hardly Gibraltar. Control over shipping in the Clyde? Ah yes, that's it.

The exporting of birds' feathers was an important industry in days gone by, and it is said that Robert Burns ordered a quantity for a new bed when he married Jean Armour. Other writers have been influenced by Ailsa Craig as well, and both Keats and Wordsworth have mentioned it in their work. Oddly, Burns makes only fleeting mention of it.

David Craig, a native of south Ayrshire, was one of the first settlers in a remote part of Ontario, Canada, in the mid 1800's, and he named a town after his favourite island.

More information on Ailsa Craig can be found at the McKechnie Institute in Dalrymple Street in Girvan."

My sources are several, mostly other, readily available, guides, so I've just distilled and rewritten the information. Hope this is of some interest to your readers.

Measuring ¾ mile long, ½ mile wide and 1,114 ft high ( it might be 1,110 ft - it depends on your source!), 2¼ miles in circumference and 220 acres in area ("Ailsa Craig, its History and Natural History", Rev R Lawson, 1888) with a ruined castle on the way up. It has a lighthouse (now automated) and is uninhabited apart from the birds. The Lighthouse cottages have recently been for sale, but would need a lot of work to make them into a comfortable home. Well worth the challenge if the dream is strong enough! It is famous world-wide for the curling stones which are made from its granite.
"Received from Andy Baird by email 27 August 2002 The 'Ailsa Craig' chapter from my new book, 'Brush Up Your Ayrshire', a more-or-less definitive guide to tourist attractions in Ayrshire, Arran, Bute and Cumbrae, but of course, I couldn't leave out Ailsa Craig. More details about the book and an order form for any country in the world can be had from www.westwardmedia.com, but of course the book is available from many booksellers throughout Ayrshire and the islands or Tourist Information offices. Ailsa Craig, from the Gaelic ailsse creag, meaning ‘fairy rock’, can be seen from all parts of the Ayrshire coast, not surprising, considering it's 1110 feet high (338 m). Looking like a giant crusty bread roll, it's technically a granite volcanic plug about 1300 yards long (1100 m) and about 900 yards (820 m) across. It’s about 10 miles (16 km) off the coast, roughly halfway between the mainland and Ireland, hence its moniker, "Paddy's Milestone". What even some locals probably don't know is that it's the home of the third largest gannet colony in the world, with about 70,000 birds on average. For that reason, it is a registered Site of Special Scientific Interest, maybe even a European Special Protection Area. Granite was mined from Ailsa Craig from the early 1800's to about 1971 for the making of kerb stones and curling stones, though recently, there has been a bit of a revival of quarrying, with one factory being licenced to take the granite. The items are made in Mauchline (see entry, "Burns House Museum"), and exported all over the world. From the harbour at Girvan, cruises to the island can be made aboard the MFV Glorious (phone 01465 713219 for details), or the Rachael Clare, (phone 01294 833724), weather permitting. A four-hour trip costs about £9 per adult, but note that the boats are only about 30 ft long (10 m), and not entirely covered, so whatever the weather, you will need protection. The Clyde can be pretty lumpy, so bear that in mind, too. If the sea is calm, you can land and spend some time on it, enough to have a look at the ruined miners' cottages - no, that should read the miners' ruined cottages - the old narrow-gauge railway running from the quarry, the lighthouse dating from 1886, and the old foghorn. (There's a mother-in-law joke in there, but I daren't make it!) In its heyday, the island’s population was 29, made up of miners, their families, and lighthouse keepers. Their cottages were sold in 1999, complete with their own helicopter pad. At the time of writing, there are plans to open the cottages as luxury holiday homes for rent, but some conservation groups are opposed to the idea. It is known that Ailsa Craig was owned by the Abbey at Crossraguel in the early 1400's, when apparently, ambitious and therefore recalcitrant abbots were sent here to cool off a bit. In those days, abbots weren’t necessarily men of holy orders, so it must have been a busy place. Nowadays, the really energetic visitor may have a chance to climb to the top, via the path that passes a ruined castle. The castle had three storeys and was built by the powerful Hamilton family in the late 1500's, after Philip of Spain tried to capture the island for himself. Why on earth a Spanish king wanted a big rock in the middle of the Firth of Clyde, I can't imagine. It's nice in its own way, but it's hardly Gibraltar. Control over shipping in the Clyde? Ah yes, that's it. The exporting of birds' feathers was an important industry in days gone by, and it is said that Robert Burns ordered a quantity for a new bed when he married Jean Armour. Other writers have been influenced by Ailsa Craig as well, and both Keats and Wordsworth have mentioned it in their work. Oddly, Burns makes only fleeting mention of it. David Craig, a native of south Ayrshire, was one of the first settlers in a remote part of Ontario, Canada, in the mid 1800's, and he named a town after his favourite island. More information on Ailsa Craig can be found at the McKechnie Institute in Dalrymple Street in Girvan." My sources are several, mostly other, readily available, guides, so I've just distilled and rewritten the information. Hope this is of some interest to your readers.

Your contribution HERE please!