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Home > NIEA > Protected Areas > Areas of Special Scientific Interest > County Antrim > Ramore Head and The Skerries ASSI

Protected Areas

Ramore Head and The Skerries ASSI

Last updated: 5 February 2010

picture of the Skerries part of the ASSI © Rose Muir

Site No ASSI 113
Area 22.73 (ha)
Declared Date 27/11/1996
Confirmed Date 05/29/1997
County Antrim
Council(s) Coleraine BC
Keywords Earth Science

An intrusion of Tertiary dolerite has pushed into shales of Jurassic (Lower Lias) age, producing a fine grained, dark rock known as hornfels, which contains abundant fossils, particularly ammonities. This is the site of an historic geological argument about the origin of basaltic rocks. Evidence from this site supported the theory that basalt is formed from cooled volcanic lava.

picture of nesting kittiwakesIn addition, Portrush sill is an unusually complex layered intrusion. Locally important breeding populations of kittiwake, black guillemot and eider.

Site Related Documents

Site map (.PDF 610Kb)Opens in New window, Citation document (.PDF 111Kb)Opens in New window and Views about Management document (.PDF 47Kb)Opens in New window.