Glasgow And Ships Of The Clyde

Ailsa Craig

Ailsa Craig from the southeast
Location
Ailsa Craig Ailsa Craig shown within South Ayrshire
OS grid reference	NX019997
Coordinates	55°15′07″N 05°06′59″W
Physical geography
Island group	Firth of Clyde
Area	99 ha (240 acres)[2]
Area rank	150=[2] [3]
Highest elevation	338 m (1,109 ft) (a Marilyn)
Administration
Council area	South Ayrshire
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Demographics
Population	0[4]
References	[2][5][6]

WAVERLY is sailing round Ailsa Craig.   What is Ailsa Craig ?

Ailsa Craig is a now-uninhabited island of 240 acres in the outer Firth of Clyde, 16 km (8 +1⁄2 miles) west of mainland Scotland, upon which granite has long been quarried to make curling stones.

The island is sometimes known as "Paddy's Milestone" being approximately the halfway point of the sea journey from Belfast to Glasgow, a traditional route of emigration for many Irish labourers going to Scotland to seek work.

A more fanciful story about the origin of Ailsa Craig is that long, long, long ago there were two giants who hated each other.   One lived in Glasgow and the other lived in Belfast.   

One day they had a fight and the Glasgow giant picked up a huge rock and threw it at the other giant.  The rock fell into the sea between Scotland and Ireland and thus was the origin of Ailsa Craig. 

 The Irish giant, not to be beaten, picked up a similarly huge rock and tossed it at the Glasgow giant.   This massive rock landed at Dumbarton near Glasgow and is now known as Dumbarton Rock.

 Today Ailsa Craig is a bird sanctuary, providing a home for huge numbers of gannets and an increasing number of puffins.

In the summer months a small motor cruiser runs sailings from Girvan (on the Ayrshire Coast) to Ailsa Craig and, weather permitting, people can explore the island.