Wolf's Hole Quarry and Mine Woods Bridge of Allan

Home , Bridge of Allan, Gargunnock, River Forth, Stirling

Stirling & Clackmannan RIGS group Wolf’s Hole Quarry and

D R

N starting point Bridge of Allan E Mine Woods L G route

This short walk through the woods D

R P on the southern slopes of the Ochil A9 ENDR N E E L ICH RD • [email protected] G D R D R R E H Hills, above Bridge of Allan, just to P C M9 N P EI E U R Bridge L D N H G E E P the north of the major Ochil Fault, N of Allan

D HAAS DESIGN E R S O S N UNN S B YLA provides insight into the processes T L W RE A ET IR RD FO A9 R A K BER I C DESIGNED BY E R O that built the foundations of D M R B IE HE DR ND CLAR our landscape, with fine views of ERSON STRE EM M9 ON T DR the lowland Forth valley – part ET of the Midland valley of Scotland – and the Highland mountains. ACCESS

By train to Bridge of Allan station or by car via M9 leaving the motorway north of Stirling at the roundabout sign-posted to Bridge of Allan. Approaching Bridge of Allan, turn left directly after the Bridge over the River Allan, then first right and first The discovery of fossils made Wolf’s Hole right again. Park at the roadside in Sunnylaw Road by the Quarry a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). meadow below the woods (NS790 981). There is a more detailed The fossils can be used to date the rocks description of the route on the inside of this leaflet. in which they are embedded.

The Scottish Fossil Code provides detailed COVER: advice on best practice in the collection, Fossil sample with superimposed The model shows Zenaspis, identification, conservation and storage of fossil sketch of Cephalaspis scotica a very similar fish to the found in the old red sandstone Cephalaspis scotica holotype specimens found in Scotland. Further details (ORS) at Wolf’s Hole Quarry and fossil specimen shown at the top. can be found on the Scottish Natural Heritage held in the collections of the Model maker and original photo: website at www.snh.org.uk/fossilcode/ National Museums of Scotland. Richard Hammond ©National Museums of Scotland, NMS.G.1891.92.135

Acknowledgements:

www.snh.org.uk www.edinburghgeolsoc.org [email protected] Wolf’s Hole Quarry and Mine Woods in Bridge of Allan

he rocks underlying the Mine Wood and Wolf’s Hole TQuarry were laid down nearly 415 million years ago Geological map and section of the Stirling area (Early Devonian period). At that time Scotland was about 20º south of the equator on the eastern flank of what is now North America, on a continent called Laurussia. The The map of the rocks Mine Woods Devonian Lavas under Stirling, below, climate was hot and seasonally dry. The landscape largely (410-400 million shows how the Ochil years old) Fault cuts across at lacked plants as these were only just evolving into terrestrial the foot of the hills, separating the Early environments, perhaps present only in damp places. Ochil Fault Kerr ©Alison Devonian age rocks to the north from much Large rivers brought great quantities of sand, pebbles and Late Carboniferous younger Carboniferous gravel to the Midland valley of Scotland from the north, (340-310 million rocks to the south. years old) from Scandinavia and the Highlands, interrupted for a while Stirling The woodlands around Wolf’s Hole Quarry by frequent eruptions of some 2000 metres of lavas, now The sandstone quarried here in the 19th century was used forming the bulk of the rocks of the Ochil Hills. in the building of Bridge of Allan. It has been suggested In the valleys south of the Mine Woods, there are 300 - that the name ‘Wolf’s Hole Quarry’ may be a corruption 350 million years old coal-bearing sedimentary rocks of A section from north of ‘Wool’s Fold’ from a time when sheep were kept here. to south show the This was also a holiday place for the young Robert Louis the Carboniferous Period. Stirling Castle and the Wallace fault separating the Monument are built on younger igneous intrusions of Mine Woods two ages of rock. Stevenson and there is plenty of speculation on the Stirling Castle and quartz dolerite. Once molten, these rocks are now more influence of the landscape on his later writing. Stirling Wallace Monument resistant to erosion than the surrounding sediments. sit on igneous intrusive rocks that Across the valley are the 345 million year old volcanic rocks are more resistant of the Touch and Gargunnock Hills. Covering most of the to erosion than the surrounding Carboniferous rocks are sediments dumped by the ice sheets sedimentary rocks. and glacial meltwaters of the last ice age. These sediments can be seen across the valleys of the Forth and Devon.

The meadow below the Woods is part of a raised beach, Late Midland

Carboniferous Valley Sill Kerr ©Alison indicating that the sea reached here about 15,000 years Devonian Early ago, after the last ice sheet retreated and melted. Former Lavas Carboniferous Devonian estuarine deposits and landforms are an extensive element Sandstones of this local landscape. View to the West from the top of the woodland Stirling & Clackmannan RIGS group Wolf’s Hole Quarry and Mine Woods Bridge of Allan

THE ROUTE The walk follows well-marked paths view of the Highland mountains to The walk follows well-marked paths with steps in steep places. It may be muddy in with steps in steep places. It may the north and west and across the wet weather. Allow at least one hour for be muddy in wet weather. Allow Midland valley to the south and east. the walk. It is unsuitable for wheel chairs. at least one hour for the walk. It is On reaching the surfaced road turn unsuitable for wheel chairs. The right and after about 30 yards take quarry (1) is easily entered over the the signed path on the right that grassy verge at the S.W. corner of leads obliquely down through the 5 the wooded area above the meadow. mixed woodland past the copper Golf Course The walk leads upward on the right mine entrance (6), where a bench side of the quarry and through the gives a view of Stirling Castle, the ancient beech woods of Bridge of Wallace Monument and the valley of Allan (2), highly valued by the local the river Forth. Follow the path back community. Turn right on meeting to the quarry, noting exposures of 3 4 the golf course and follow the conglomerate with stones of various 6 straight path keeping below the golf types of Devonian lavas. Roe deer Mine Wood course. As you cross a small stream often graze here, woodpeckers 2 look to the right for the sculptured may be heard and red and grey head of the ‘Guardian of the Woods’ squirrels may be seen. (3) placed high on a tall tree but 1 continue walking ahead. At (4) turn left following the path up the slope Because the quarry is a Site of Special at the edge of the golf course to (5) Scientific Interest (SSSI), hammering is the highest point with a wide prohibited. You can find the Scottish Fossil Code at www.snh.org.uk Views totheWest fromMineWoods rock isprohibited,although rockclimbingis scientific interest)andhammeringofthe designated aprotectedSSSI(siteofspecial dating ofthesedeposits.Thissiteis here –CephalapsisandPteraspis,allowing quarrying, veryrarefossilfishwerefound lines oflavaandmudstonepebbles.During sedimentary structures–cross-beddingand successively bynewchannels,creating older riversanddepositswerecutacross period). Onthequarryfaceyoucanseehow over 400millionyearsago(lowerDevonian It waslaiddownbymajorbraidedrivers was usedinbuildingC19BridgeofAllan. 1 POINTS OFINTEREST Sandstone from Wolf’s Hole Quarry Sandstone fromWolf’sHoleQuarry

ben lomond ©Mike Thomas ©Mike deposited in an ocean 550 million years ago. deposited inanocean550million yearsago. metamorphosed sandstoneandmudstone (see profile).TheseconsistofDalradian views ofthehighlandmountains( protected itmightgivewaywithoutwarning. Do notstandinthedepression–although white orpinkBarytemaybefound. fragments ofmalachite(copperore)and depression andaspoilheap,wherefew the Coppermineismarkedbyaslight Stirling CouncilandFalkirkCollege. is byLoriAnderson,commissioned quarry mouthandinthebeechwoodabove. by anolivinebasaltlava. cliff isalayerofvolcanicconglomeratecut permitted andpopular.Abovethe15metre 4 2 5 3 cobbler At the top of the woodland there are fine At thetopofwoodlandtherearefine Here thetopofverticalshaftto The sculpture“GuardianoftheWoods” More ofthatcanbeexaminedatthe

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) ©Tom Kerr ©Tom ben more Edinburgh and the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh andthePentlandHills. Dolerite plugsandbeyond,youmaysee Stirling Castleareperchedonigneous and East,theWallacemonument deposits hasbeenquarried.TotheSouth Dunblane (NW)gravelfromglacialriver flowing SouthandEast.AtBarbush,near The landscapewassculptedbyglaciers developed below the mine. developed belowthemine. from theAirthreyWellinSpathat as visitorscameto‘takethemineralwaters’ of theOchilHills.BridgeAllanprospered erosion hasproducedthewell-definedscarp process, withsubsequentweatheringand intruded intotheOchilfault.Thatfaulting when thedoleriteofStirlingCastlerockwas were broughtinbyhotfluidscirculating copper ore(mainlymalachite).Suchveins white Baryte(BariumSulphate)andgreen is acomplexmineralvein,containingpink/ Devonian period.Intheroofofentrance rocks laiddownbyriversintheearly entrance containslocallyderivedvolcanic 1543. Theconglomeratesurroundingthe ‘bawbees’ atQueenMary’scoronationin from herewasmintedinStirlingforthe mine, inusefrom1661to1815.Copper the protectedmainentranceofcopper 6500 yearsagoastidalmudflats. as farWestAberfoyleandweredeposited The Carseclaysinthevalleybelow,stretch 6 To the right of the returning path is To therightofreturningpathis

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ben vorlich Devonian rivers building sand sheets and river-bed dunes. cross-bedding resultingfromtheactionofancient, Detail fromtheORSsandstoneexposureillustrating face atMineWoodandalongthefootpaths. on theescarpment bluffs rocky are exposedwidelyas Pebble beds(conglomerate)formedbygravel-bed rivers 0 cm 0 cm 10 cm 10 cm 20 cm

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