Hallaig, Raasay, fossils and fossil collecting

Drive either south from Portree, or north from Broadford on the A87
Ferry to Raasay from Sconser Pier
From new Ferry Terminal on Raasay, Drive south towards Inverarish.
Take the turning for Fearns. Carry on past the Iron-ore mine ruined buildings.
Drive until you reach end of public road at Fearns and park in front of holiday cottages. Fossils can be found along the shore, in burns and streams at the end of the road.

GRID REF: 57.36251°N, 5.99542°W

Ammonites, belemnites, large bivalves, brachiopods and gastropods can be found.

Hallaig is to be found at the south end of the Isle of Raasay. Fossils can be found along the east shore and in burns and streams at various places on the island. Raasay boasts geology of international importance, and Hallaig is an excellent location to see it.

Medium

Fossils are found along most of the shoreline, and are easily visible on most loose rocks.

Not for Children

This is a long hard walk and not suitable for the very young or unfit. No toilets here. Cafe/restaurant at Raasay Hotel. Small store in Inverarish.

Fair Access

Parking is free and easy at the Holiday cottages. An old road/track leads most of the way to Hallaig, however it is 3.2km to there, and then a huge descent to the shoreline, followed by the same ascent to the path again at the end of the day. There are steep cliff sections below you, but there are fairly easy accessible gullies to be found.

Foreshore

Foreshore boulders are the best chance of finding good fossils.

No Restrictions

There are no restrictions at this location.

If you collect fossils in Scotland, the advice on best practice in the collection and storage of fossil specimens, set out in the Scottish Fossil Code, applies to you. The Code may be viewed and downloaded from www.snh.org.uk/fossilcode.

Common sense when collecting at all locations should be taken and knowledge of tide times should always be noted. Although there are tidal areas, you will have to ascend back up to the path anyway, so there is little chance of being cut off.

Last updated:	2011
last visited:	2011
Written by:	Anthony Rybak

Other Locations similar to Hallaig

There are a range of Jurassic Coastal sites in Scotland either on Skye or the North East Mainland especially near Brora which have been caused by the Helmsdale Fault. Other locations near to Helmsdale that are featured on UK Fossils are, Crakaig, Golspie, Portgower, Kintradwell, Lothbeg, Brora River, Balintore,Eathie and Brora Foreshore. Other locations on the isle of Skye include the popular Glasnakille Bearreraig Bay, Faoilean, Hallaig, Camustianavaig, Ardnish Point, Kilmarie and Elgol

A big hammer can be handy here, but it is a huge distance to carry too much weight. Cold chisels suffice. Very remote location. Phone signal hit and a miss depending on height. Liquid and snacks a must for energy.


Raasay is a geological gemstone, and no amount of time at any fossil location can do them justice. Fossils can be found in strange places, like in small burns and waterfalls for instance, as well as from the shoreline to up in the highest cliffs. All of these serious locations involve great distances, and this place demands a high fitness level. Hallaig is one of the most accessible locations in terms that an old track takes you most of the way there, but even then you will need the whole day to do it justice. These locals must have been very fit to go to and fro between the scattered crofting communities. Fossils can range from ammonites and belemnites, to huge variety of large Pleinsbachian bivalves. This is a pretty undiscovered Island to fossil hunters, and anything unusual is possible here. The problem may be carrying it back! A shorter alternative hunting location is to drop down onto the shore at the bay just before the Waterfall at Rubha na Leac. There are fossils to be found along this bay, but you cannot continue past the waterfall here as it falls into the sea. Even at low-tide.

Jurassic, 185mya

Raasay has a wealth of Jurassic cliff faces covering several zones, but most are very hard to reach and and erosion here has been a slow affair. The Jurassic sequence of Raasay is represented by Lower Lias - 180m Pabba Shale comprising shaly limestone and calcareous sandstones. Middle Lias - 75m thick white and grey Scalpa Sandstone. Upper Lias - 25 m thick calcareous shale, includes 2.5m Raasay Ironstone. Inferior Oolite - 210m thick black shale and calcareous sandstones and clay. Great Estuarine Series - Oil shale followed by sandstones, laminated shales and limestones....[more]

The first Jurassic sandstone cliffs on the Hallaig path


Ammonite Amaltheus margiratus...[more]

Stone Tumblers

Microscopes

Fossil Tools

If you are interested in fossil collecting, then you may also be interested in a stone tumbler (Lapidary). You can polish stones and rocks from the beach which will look fantastic polished using a stone tumbler.

You can polish rough rock and beach glass whilst collecting fossils, on those days where you come back empty handed. These are all high quality machines to give a professional finish to your samples. They can even be used for amber and fossils.

At most locations, you can find microfossils. You only need a small sample of the sand. You then need to wash it in water and sieve using a test sieve. Once the sand is processed, you can then view the contents using a microscope.

We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereomicroscope for viewing microfossils. The best one we sell is the IMXZ, but a basic microscope will be fine. Once you have found microfossils, you will need to store these microfossils.

We are your market leader for Fossil Supplies and Fossil Equipment. Suppling Retail, Education and Trade in the UK, Europe and beyond. UKGE Online Store sells equipment worldwide.

We sell a wide range of geological hammers and geological picks as well as fossil tools, starter packs and geological chisels. UKGE is your geological superstore, selling a wide range of field equipment, rocks, minerals, fossils, geological and even microscopy!