主播大秀

Well, it was back to Iona again, via Bunessan and Kintra fro a couple of jobs that needed doing. Weather didnt look too promising this time, so I wasnt too hopeful of getting in much "rock time".

After getting the work done on "mainland" Mull, it was the 17:45 ferry to Iona and check into the B and B.

Joyce and Lindsey suggested going to the old marble quarry, so accompanied by Nipper the dog, off we went!

Heres the view northwards from the track over to the marble quarry. As you can see it is a bit damp looking. Damp underfoot as well!




Then onto the quarry. Nipper found it all very interesting:



Nice block of marble you've got there Nipper! Would make a good kitchen surface if it were sliced and polished.

Heres the view to the south east:



No matter what the weather is like, the sea always seems to be rough at the quarry. How on earth they managed to get boats in to get the marble out is beyond me. There is virtually no shelter. Must have been quite hazardous.

Heres another view of the quarry showing lots of blocks of marble:



The dark looking rock immediately behind the marble blocks is known as the "Green Rock". It is a sort of amphibolite - a metamorphosed igneous rock. Quite different from the marble.

On the right hand side, about half way up the pic there is another light coloured rock. This is the stuff called anorthosite. Anorthosite is interesting. It is quite rare, it is found on the moon. And it is the stuff that the super-quarry in Harris would have exploited. In Iona, it occurs near the marble quarry, but is quite different from the marble - much harder, and more of a creamy white in colour.

After a well earned cup of coffee, we were ready to head back:



But before the soggy trudge back, here's a quick pic of some of the swirly, contorted folding that you can find in metamorphic rocks:



Check back soon!
Mountainman