Craighead Quarry fossils and fossil collecting |
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 Follow the B741 from North of Girvan. The road will cross over/under the railway line three times, after the third time, the railway line is on your right.
Just after this point, there is some buildings on the left, with a road leading to Drummuck, take this road, and you will see the quarry on the left hand side, going round a bend shortly after the turn off.
Either park to the right of this quarry, although this can be very muddy after rain, or continue up the hill and park at the top on the right hand side. CONT....
GRID REF: 55.27472°N, 4.78109°W
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Fossils are very common from this quarry, but because it is now fairly overgrown, it can be difficult to find good specimens. Most of the original face is now covered in scree, so you will find more fragments than anything else. However, there is still one side of the face that is solid bedrock, where nice specimens can still be found. |
Older Children
Older children can visit this site, provided that they don't climb the scree slope and keep clear of the steep sides. Fossils can also be found at the bottom of the scree slopes. |
Good Access
Although the quarry is along the main road, it is not accessible from here, you will have to walk along the track leading to the very back of the quarry, where one face is still accessible, and this is where the fossils are found. |
Scree Slope
Disused Quarry
Fossils can be found in the scree slope and bedrock of this disused quarry. Fossils are easier to find in the scree slopes, but the best specimens are in the rocks fallen from the right hand side of the face. The accessible area of the quarry is only a very small section of the quarry, but the rest of the quarry is too dangerous and overgrown. |
No Restrictions
There are no restrictions at this location, but please follow the Scottish Fossil Code below, and also our own UK Fossils Code of Conduct. |
If you collect fossils in Scotland, the advice on best practice in the collection and storage of fossil specimens, set out in the Scottish Fossil Code, applies to you. The Code may be viewed and downloaded from www.snh.org.uk/fossilcode.
 
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Craighead Quarry can be very boggy, especially during the winter and after heavy rain. Some areas have steep sides, and access to the quarry should be made from the old track road which takes you round the back entrance. Trying to enter the quarry by the main road, is too dangerous due to the steep sides and overgrown floor. |
Last updated:
last visited:
Written by: |
15/11/08
2008
Alister and Alison Cruickshanks
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Geological Tools
Most fossils can be found by searching the scree slope, but a hammer or pick will come in handy for the larger rocks which contain the best specimens.
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Once you find the accessible area of the quarry, you will see a scree slope in front of you. Fossils can be found in the scree slope, but they are mostly fragments.
The best area to look is at the right hand side. You will see a good face with rocks fallen at the bottom. Fossils can be found in this face or in the rocks at the bottom. Split the rocks and fossils can be found inside.
This quarry is regularly visited by schools and colleges, and so over the years has become over-collected. The scree slope has now covered most of the best beds. We therefore ask that you only take a few specimens to preserve it for future generations of students. Although the quarry is quite big, only a small section is accessible, the rest of the quarry is dangerously steep and overgrown, so stick to this section at the back of this quarry.
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Ordovician, 450mya |
The Balclatchie Beds at Craighead are of Caradoc age, and from the Balclatchie Formation. These rocks are a blue-grey nodular mudstone with siltstones and impersistent conglomerate units. It is 300m at its maximum thickness and rest on the Benan Conglomerate Formation.
Balclatchie Beds at Craighead Quarry
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Related Books |
Microscopes |
Test Sieves for Microfossils |
The best guide available for this area is the small booklet on Girvan published by the Geological Survey and available from our online store. It is a sheet explanation and covers the geological formations around Girvan in great detail, along with the fossils found and further locations not featured on this website.
Click here for this book.
The standard geological map of Girvan is also an excellent buy showing you exactly where the best beds are, and is related to from the sheet explanation.
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At most locations, you can find microfossils. You only need a small sample of the sand. You then need to wash it in water and sieve using a test sieve. Once the sand is processed, you can then view the contents using a microscope.
We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereomicroscope for viewing microfossils. The best one we sell is the IMXZ, but a basic microscope will be fine. Once you have found microfossils, you will need to store these microfossils.
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Test Sieves are used when searching for microfossils. Microfossils can be found in many locations, and all you need is a small amount of sample such as clays, sands and shales, or if you have acid, limestone, oolite or chalk.
Our UKGE Store sells Endecotts Test Sieves, which are the highest in accuracy and extremely durable and long lasting. These Test Sieves are fantastic for microfossils. Endecotts Test Sieves come in a variety of sizes, frame material and types, they are certificated to EU Standards. |
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