Monday 7 March 2022

Ailsa Craig

Thankyou Joanne for your question..this is Ailsa Craig, a lump of granite ten miles offshore from Girvan.

The source of the best curling stones in the world, and of all those used in the Olympic games.

Also known as Paddy's Milestone as it is halfway between Ireland and Glasgow.


I don't think that there is anyone living in the one house on the island at present, although it was sold a few years ago. Apart from having a quarry or two it also has bird sanctuary status, I think, and weather permitting there are several boat tours to and about the island most days in the summer.


Now I wonder why they named a tomato after an offshore rock?!
 

10 comments:

Elderberry-Rob said...

This is interesting - and what a claim to fame! Olympic curling stones :)

Tom Stephenson said...

So that's where the curling stones come from.

Steve Reed said...

It definitely doesn't seem like a place that would be very hospitable to tomatoes!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Hopefully somebody will know and tell us on here.

Andrew MacLaren-Scott said...

A nice reminder that I will be seeing it soon, on a weekend in Largs just booked. I had never heard of the Stinchar Valley, despite being Scottish, until perusing your blog.

Joanne Noragon said...

A lump of granite. I wonder how it came to be? I'll go look. Thank you.

gz said...

Nice to "meet" you Andrew..the Stinchar meets the Clyde at Ballantrae.

kjsutcliffe said...

You might find this interesting - a possible reason why a tomato was named Ailsa Craig but why an onion was too!
https://hub.suttons.co.uk/blog/vegetable-growing/who-or-what-was-ailsa-craig

gz said...

Thanks Hawthorn...so it was the onion that was named after the rock!!

Kim @ Him, Him Me said...

My husband is from Kilmarnock and has always called Ailsa Craig "Spud Island" for some reason.