Conon

Crossing the river Conon on the way up to the Scatwell Mica mines. These excavations were opened up in the Second World War when Mica could no longer be imported from India. There were  three sites in the Highlands, one here in Easter Ross and another at Loch Nevis. The Mica was quarried and then transported by road, ferry and rail to a 'secret' factory at Pitlochry to be finished and made usable.
The quarries are completely overgrown, at altitude and off the beaten track. The spoil heaps can still be found and we returned with pockets and rucksacks bulging and weighed down! The extra shows the shiny plates of Mica exposed on the rock face.
Fascinating!