Ailsa Craig
| Scottish Gaelic name | Creag Ealasaid |
|---|---|
Ailsa Craig from the southeast | |
| Location | |
| OS grid reference | NX019997 |
| Coordinates | 55°15′07″N 05°06′59″W / 55.25194°N 5.11639°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Firth of Clyde |
| Area | 99 ha (240 acres) |
| Area rank | 150= |
| Highest elevation | 338 m (1,109 ft) (a Marilyn) |
| Administration | |
| Council area | South Ayrshire |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
| References | |
Ailsa Craig (/ˈeɪlsə/; Scottish Gaelic: Creag Ealasaid) is an island of 99 ha (240 acres) in the outer Firth of Clyde, 16 km (8+1⁄2 nmi) west of mainland Scotland, upon which microgranite has long been quarried to make curling stones. The now-uninhabited island comprises the remains of a magmatic pluton formed during the same period of igneous activity as magmatic rocks on the nearby Isle of Arran.
The island, colloquially known as "Paddy's Milestone" because it is halfway between Belfast and Glasgow, was a haven for Catholics during the Scottish Reformation in the 16th century, but is today a bird sanctuary, providing a home for huge numbers of gannets and an increasing number of puffins.