Where Do Curling Stones Come From? Only Two Places on Earth Supply Olympic Granite

Where Do Curling Stones Come From? Only Two Places on Earth Supply Olympic Granite

Every curling stone sliding across Olympic ice originated from one of two places on the planet. Ailsa Craig, a small uninhabited island 10 miles off Scotland's coast, supplies the most curling stones for competitions through its exclusive granite deposits. The only alternative source is Trefor Quarry in North Wales, which provides granite when Ailsa Craig supplies run low. Curling stones, which weigh 42-pounds, are crafted from specific types of…

The quirky geology behind Olympic curling stones

The rocks used in the Olympic sport of curling come from one island in Scotland and one quarry in Wales. What makes them so special?

Milano Cortina 2026: Curling Stones

Ailsa Craig sits about 10 miles off the Scottish coast, a granite dome left behind by a volcanic event millions of years ago. This small, now-uninhabited crag is the birthplace for every Olympic curling stone. It’s where Kays of Scotland, which has made curling stones for the Olympics since the sport appeared in the first Winter Games in 1924, gets their granite. Curling stones have to withstand both cold and collisions, something Ailsa’s microg…

The Tiny Island Where All Olympic Curling Stones Come From

By combining Ailsa Craig's common green and blue hone granites, one company produces the only stones allowed in World Curling Federation contests and the Winter Olympics.