Slate Workers Cottages (Pip)

Former slate workers cottages at Ellenabeich a small village on the isle of Seil which is an island on the east side of the Firth of Lorn, The pip shows a part of these cottages from the rear and across one of the flooded slate quarries,

This is also the departure point for the small passenger only ferry to the nearby Easedale Island

This is one of a group of islands known collectively as the "Slate Islands" The underlying geology of the islands is Dalradian slate, which was quarried widely until the mid-20th century. Quarry working began in 1630 and at the turn of the 20th century, the quarries were yielding some eight million slates every year.

Eilean-a-beithich located in Easdale Sound was once one of the Slate Islands. However, it was quarried for slate to a depth of 75 metres (250 feet) below sea level leaving only the outer rim of the island. Part of this rim was breached by the sea in 1881 flooding the quarry and little visible sign of the island now remains.

HWW to all !