BIRKHILL FIRECLAY MINE

A unique part of Scotland's Industrial Heritage

(managed by Falkirk Community Trust)

Situated in the Avon Gorge beside Birkhill Station, the Fireclay Mine is well worth a visit for all but the very young, old or infirm. The experienced guides show you the underground workings, the 300 million year old fossils and describe the life of the fireclay miners. Tours last approximately an hour and are co-ordinated with the railway timetable. From its dark passages was dug high quality high alumina fireclay which was formed into bricks which lined the industrial furnaces of Central Scotland. Part of the vast labyrinth dug through the fireclay seam has been opened up to visitors, and you can enjoy a thrilling underground tour of the old workings. Tour guides will meet your train at Birkhill Station and will lead you down into the ancient woodland of the beautiful Avon Gorge, home to much wildlife including deer and otters. Then on into the Mine caverns. See how the clay was worked, see the imprint of ancient riverbeds in the excavated roof of the Mine and find 300 million-year-old fossils, laid down in the Carboniferous Period, long before dinosaurs walked the earth. Birkhill Fireclay Mine tours take approximately one hour, and start from Birkhill Station on the arrival of each train (except the last service of each day). The workings are at a constant 11°C (52°F) throughout the year, so please wear suitable clothing and footwear. The only access to the mine is down a long flight of steps cut into the side of the Gorge. Regrettably at present there is no suitable access for the disabled. There is a picnic area near to Birkhill Station, and a small car park for those who choose to use the narrow country roads which provide alternative access. Birkhill is tucked away in secluded countryside with no sign of urban sprawl. It is a pleasant spot in which to linger on a warm day! Birkhill Fireclay Mine is managed by Falkirk Community Trust, in partnership with the Scottish Railway Preservation Society.

For further information phone : 01506 825855 (Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm) or write to Birkhill Mine c/o 17-19 North Street, Bo'ness, West Lothian EH51 0AQ or E-mail Mine