Craigleith Quarry was the largest and best known of Edinburgh's quarries, with a world-wide reputation for producing building stone of the highest quality. It provided most of the building stone for Edinburgh's New Town, and exported stone to London, Europe and the United States. The quarry was active for over 300 years and the final massive hole had faces 110 metres (360 feet) high. Filled with inert waste in the 60 years after quarrying ceased, it has now become the Craigleith Retail Park opened in 1993. A section of the quarry wall has been preserved as a “Local Geodiversity Site” and is accessible with permission from Sainsbury’s.
Check in with the staff at Sainsbury’s before accessing the area. Access is permitted between 7am and 7pm Mon-Sat and between 8am and 7pm on Sundays. Follow the path around to the rear of the store. Right around the back you will see what is left of the faces of Craigleith quarry. Take care for your safety, whether from loose rock, fallen material, or operations within the Retail Park. You do not to cross the low fence at the base of the cliff
Look at the exposed wall along its length. Please don’t go near the loading bay area past the bushes – the geological trail stops before this. Your first impressions may be:
- The quarry face shows layers (beds) of sedimentary rock dipping down in one direction.
- The variation in colour and thickness of the beds suggests different rock types. The rock type is dependent on the environment at the time the sediment was deposited.
- The original soft sediments were laid down horizontally, but the hardened rocks were later tilted by dynamic Earth forces.
To log the cache you need to answers the following questions. Please don't put the answers in your log. Logs without an accompanying email will be deleted.
1. In which direction do the layers dip? Are the older beds of rock to your left or your right?
2. Looking at each end of the rock exposure, which stones would have been better for building, and why?
3. Do you think the ancient environment became more or less stable over the period illustrated here? Justify your answer.
At the first waypoint there is a prominent overhang. There are examples of modern formations in these rocks, including cross-bedding, formed in wind or water flow. 
4. While watching for any loose rocks, examine the underside of the overhang. Describe the rock formation. What modern day feature does it resemble, and what does this tell us about the conditions in which the rock was formed?
5. Immediately to the north of the overhang, the sandstone shows evidence of “cross-bedding” – the sand here has been laid down in a river delta. Which way was the river flowing when this was laid down?
The second waypoint is to the north of the superstore, between it and the next store. Here there is a “fossil wall” designed to highlight the types of trees that used to grow here.
6. There are two types of leaf shown here, please describe the leaf shapes. Which one is most similar to a modern tree?
7. Finally - what was found in the quarry that is now on display in the Botanic Gardens?
Further information is available at this Edinburgh Geological Society site, and this one about Craigleith Hill.