Ireland
Sand Origin
The Burrow Beach, Sutton
Random Sand Fact
On the Aran Islands off Ireland, sand was turned into soil.
The islands are mostly bare limestone with no natural topsoil. To grow anything, islanders gathered seaweed and sand from the beaches and laid it in alternating layers directly on the rock.
The seaweed gave nourishment. The sand gave the soil structure.
Layer by layer, over centuries, a unique soil cover took shape. Most of the soil on the islands was made by people, and the stone walls the islands are known for were raised to protect it.
