View of Ballochmyle Quarry, Mauchline, Ayrshire

Although not from Arran, this historic image shows the huge scale of the dunes.

Ballochmyle Quarry, Mauchline. Ayrshire. New Red Sandstone (Permian) red desert sandstones showing large-scale aeolian (wind-blown) dune-bedding.

The huge size of the quarry is indicated by using the figures for scale - often over 64 m. deep. Access to the working face by ladder is clearly seen. Large blocks are lifted by crane powered by a vertical steam boiler.

The sandstone consists of well-sorted, mostly rounded and frosted sand grains. They are red in colour due to a coating of haematite, an iron oxide.