Ramore Head and The Skerries ASSI

Ramore Head and The Skerries ASSI is located at the north of Portrush.

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.

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