We were on the island of of Raasay on a cold, sombre winter day to look at the remains of an iron ore mine where in the first world war German prisoners worked in a process that would ultimately produce weapons with which their fellow countrymen were killed. This was in contravention of the Hague Convention. At the end of the war many of the prisoners never returned home, having died from infectious diseases. The price of iron ore on the world market slumped and the mine was closed because it was no longer profitable.
Having arrived on the ferry.
Looking back to Skye.
The furnaces where crude iron ore was partly enriched before being loaded into a huge storage hopper from where it was shipped.
Looking along the line of furnaces.
The support columns marking the line of the small railway along which the crude ore was transported from the mine to the furnaces.
The remains of a mining building.
This may be the closest we got to the actual ore seam. We weren't sure what it was.
A quick sandwich and coffee before rushing back for the final daylight ferry.
