My friend Dave at work has been going on about Arran for years. He's telling me how beautiful and diverse it is and that it is a miniture Scotland.
A walking trip in the highlands was long long overdue so i figured it would be nice to see what he had been harping on about.
I can say now that the island didnt disappoint although unfortunately the weather did.
It took us just over 6 hours to reach the port at Ardrossan (30 miles from Glasgow). It was a pleasant drive up the A66 past the Lakes and into southern Scotland. The ferry ride to Arran took an hour. It cost about £80.00 for the two of us and my car for a return open ticket. We arrived in Brodick at about 4am and set off in search of a campsite with a few scenic pit stops on the way.
Approaching Arran on the ferry
Goat Fell. The highest mountain on the island
The Holy Island. Home to tibetan monks
After nearly circling the whole island we pulled in to Lochranza. A small village at the top of Arran and our home for the evening.
We stayed on the campsite here near the golf club. That night my 2 man tent took a battering from gale force winds and relentless rain. I was awake most of the night expecting the tent to sink into the ground. Luckily the next morning when we got out of the tent my pitch placement had just saved us from the waterlogged campsite. We were dry but extremely tired.
Day 2 was a wash out. Trees looked like they were going to be wrenched out of the ground my the strong winds and it rained hard all day. It was so bad that the ferries to the mainland were on amber alert. With nothing we could really do, we hid from the elements at the Auchrannie Hotel Resort near Brodick. Very nice it was too! Although i was getting itchy feet.
On day 3 the weather didnt look much better but it seemed there may be a small window of dry weather in the afternoon. It was still pretty windy with gale force gusts but not quite as bad as yesterday. Fully kitted out in waterproofs we set off for the summit of Goat Fell. You can see this walk here
Looking out from the beach at Brodick
Glenshant Hill and Beinn a Chliabhain behind
Goat Fell from Brodick beach
Day 4 Machrie Bay and Mullach Buidhe summit hidden in the cloud
This is a view from a walk I did to the Kings Caves
In the distance, Beinn Tarsuinn and Goat Fell
Standing Stones on Machrie Moor
More Standing Stones. The moors here are littered with stone circles and remains of buildings dating back to Neolithic times. I don't know what they did here but it must have been a very special place.
Later the same day I drove to Whiting Bay. I very pleasant walk through forest following the river took me to Glenashdale Falls
Our last night. Camping at Kildonan in the hope of seeing seals. We didn't see any but Pladda island in the distance with working lighthouse was a cracking view from the tent. Very good campsite here with everything you could need and a pub.
Pladda Island
although the weather was pretty awful most of the time and it think this random bunch of photos between rain storms shows it, it was still a great trip and i would love to go back someday. Especially to revisit Goat Fell and tick off some of those other peaks and many ridges. I'd also like to say that the food each night was great, especially at the Pierhead Tavern in Lamlash. Also the people of Arran were very friendly.