The island that roofed the world

Easdale, 11th August 2017 – We move into the house we rented for three days in Easdale, the smallest island of the Inner Hebrides. Not really an island anymore, as the Clachan bridge was built over the small gap between Easdale and the mainland in 1792. That is why it is called ‘Bridge over the Atlantic’! It is said that whales were sometimes trapped in the narrow passage. In front of Easdale lies Ellenabeich, an even smaller island, with massive slate quarries. The quarries, that now have become still pools, once employed 500 people. Hard workers cut out the slate in the unfriendly climate, exposed to angry seas, rain and wind. They cut out the stone as deep as 90 metres. The slate can still be found on roofs all over the British Empire and even as far as Melbourne in Australia. The slate worker’s tiny houses are now cultural heritage under the name ‘Tramway Cottages’. Each of them has a rain barrel, as this used to be the only way to get water. The slate industry became uneconomical after the First World War, during which a great number of workers were killed in battle. When you are given bad cards at birth, you can only bite your lower lip and suffer!

Clair-obscur of Tramway Cottages, Easdale, Scotland (FDC)

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