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Fjord · Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 8:49 pm Post subject: Glensanda Super Quarry

This place is one of the remotest and hardest to reach industrial monsters that sit's on the west coast of Scotland.
Glensanda one of the largest quarry's in europe and very few people have heard of it let alone seen it up close.
So lastweek I decided to go see for myself what all the fuss was about.

A point to note is that there's no roads in or out of this place for many miles and all staff, materials, vehicles etc arrive and leave by boat including the huge amount of aggregates that are exported by massive bulk carriers to various destinations around the world to build roads... and things!

If you fancy going remember it's a long way to get to the starting point by car then your on your own to negotiate 7 or eight miles of very rough ground on a spectacularly remote coastal walk. Go prepared!

The size and scale of this place is mind blowing it's like a set out of a Sci-Fi set and this was just a fraction of the place where all the loading took place.
What eluded us was lying 1500 ft above us on the mountainside where the main quarrying takes place before it's dropped down a 1000 ft vertical shaft comicaly known as the "Glory Hole" to the crushing machines buried deep in the bowels of the mountain.
This will have to wait for another day as our legs were knackered with the rough walk in and we had to return by the same route so that put paid to any hill climbing for a better look. These pics don't do the place justice maybe someone else daft enough will get some better ones.

Standing at the far southern end of the operation amongst the scarred backdrop of the mountain stood this little castle oblivious to the monumental operation nearby.

Alex Glass · Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 9:24 pm Post subject:

Double WOW! WOW!

Great find Fjord

Nice one from our roving explorer

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cybers · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 1:32 am Post subject:

Amazing .... Who Knew that was hiding there.
Don't think i fancy the trek in there myself.
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Scary · Deep fried Mars bar Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 1024

Great stuff Fjord

I had never heard of it either

Cheers for the education

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jan1962 · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:52 am Post subject:

It was good to see the Glensanda photos.

I was in charge of the manufacture of the conveyor that came from the bottom of the glory hole all the way out.

After the manufacture i went on site to install the conveyor.

What a project i would love to go back some time.

Gordon

sputnik · Single Fish Joined: 04 Oct 2008 Posts: 195

beatiful unspoilt beach as well in the 1st pic

watched something about this place on telly .did it not feature in coast at all.

roryboy · Buttered roll Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Posts: 9

That whole peninsula is fantastic. The walk in i did to Sanda was 5.50 miles but i cycled from Corran right round to Lochaline then dumped the bike at loch Tearnait. I also spent a crackin night in a bothy as it was good to get away from the big man made structure of the quarry. I.ve cycled a lot in this area and i've found caves bothies lean to shelters and loads of beautiful places to put my head down for a night Worth a visit a would say but i do like the solitude of the place.

Roryboy

Fjord · Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:08 pm Post subject:

roryboy · Buttered roll Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Posts: 9

Ardgour is for those not in a hurry and the good thing is,
theres no munros. The smaller hills are magic, ive done
just about all now during my exploring of this area. I still
feell that im on an island as i usually leave my van at the
ferry at Onich. No charge on the ferry as a foot passenger
and the bike goes free !! Planning a wee trip up there soon
and on a tip from an old hill friend of a new bothy for me, if i
find it as his memory of where it is seems a bit sketchy, but
its all part o' the fun.

Roryboy...

sputnik · Single Fish Joined: 04 Oct 2008 Posts: 195

fjord,scotland from the edge showed some footage of the quarry this week and can still be seen on line.