'Cleator - Clints Quarry Nature Reserve'

Location : Cleator
Map - Ordnance Survey - NY 008123

Clints Quarry is owned and managed as a nature reserve by Cumbria Wildlife Trust. The quarry is a scheduled Site of Special Scientific Interest and is of considerable botanical importance as well as geological. The fallen blocks of stone that may be seen contain a vartiety of fossils - brachiopods and corals.

Little is known about local limestone quarries, but Clints was mentioned in a 1909 prospectus for the Workington Iron & Steel Company. The limestone which was easily quarried, was used in blast furnaces to make steel in the heyday of the Acid Bessemer process between 1850 and 1890. There are well preserved lime kilns which were probably used to produce lime for local farmers for land improvement.

A leaflet is produced by Groundwork Trust - 'Geological Walks no 3' which describes Clints Quarry and Longlands Lake in detail, and walks that may be taken around them.

Longlands Lake, is within a short walking distance. So also is the Egremont section of the cycle path.

More information - Cumbria Wildlife Trust.

Aerial photo by Simon Ledingham. Other photos by Ann Bowker.