Achanarras

Achanarras Views

Achanarras Quarry is a site of special scientific interest and is world famous for its fossils.

The quarry is located on a hill-top and the former quarry is famous for its fossil fish that once were contained in a very large lake that covered the whole are about 380 million years ago.  An excellent leaflet by Scottish Natural Heritage states that over 14 types of fish have been found to date and include Dipterus an ancestor of the modern lung fish.  It could breath air and could survive in the water which would have had low levels of oxygen.

These pictures were taken on Sunday 16 September 2001 when a morning collecting fossils was organised by Jack Saxon a well known writer and fossil expert and Dr Nigel Trewin of Aberdeen University Geology Department.  They were on hand to identify fossils found by the many members of the public and children who turned up to try splitting flags to find specimens.

Getting There Etc

More On Achanarras

Achanarras Views From The Top

370 Million Year Old Discovery

Robert Dick's Fossil Collection

Jack Saxon on Spittal Quarry

Archie Sinclair Fossil Centre

Flagstone Trail

Geology Links