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Isle of Arran

Arran (13 miles and 55 minutes from Ardrossan by ferry) is called “Scotland in miniature”, a it is mountainous in the north, low lying in the middle and rises again towards the south. It is 19 miles long by about ten miles across at its widest, and within its 165 square miles it has history and spectacular scenery aplenty. The island is almost entirely owned by the Duke of Hamilton and the National Trust for Scotland. Together, they have successfully resisted any inappropriate development, ensuring that Arran is almost completely unspoilt. This is an island of Celtic saints, mysterious standing stones, craft workshops, cairns and old castles. It was a Gaelic speaking island up until the early 19th century, though the place names owe as much to the language of the Norsemen who settled here in the 10th and 11th centuries as they do to Gaelic. In fact, Brodick, one of the main settlements, comes from the Norse for “broad bay”.

The northern portion can be every bit as spectacular as the Highlands, and for those with the stamina, a climb to the summit of Goat Fell, at 2866 feet the island’s highest peak, is a must. There are two recognised routes to the top, ith both routes eventually converging, and information on each can be had at the tourist office in Brodick.

On the northern outskirts of Brodick is the Isle of Arran Heritage Museum, housed in a former crofter’s farm. Among its exhibits are a working smithy, an Arran cottage and a wide range of vintage agricultural tools. North of Brodick, on the A841 is the beautiful village of Corrie, with its small harbour, whitewashed cottages and gardens aflame with colour in the summer months.

Just north of Brodick is the Arran Brewery, which has a visitor centre and shop. There are also viewing galleries where you can see th brewing process. And at Home Farm, also near Brodick, is Arran Aromatics, Scotland’s leading producer of body care products and scented candles. Again, you can wtch the manufacturing processes from a viewing gallery.

Beneath Goat Fell, is Brodick Castle (National Trust for Scotland). This former Hamilton family stronghold occupies a wonderful location, surrounded by mature gardens. The present building dates from the 16th century and later, and inside there is a collection of paintings (by Watteau, Turner and Richardson amongst others), furniture  and important collections of silver and porcelain. The castle grounds are particularly attractive. There’s a formal walled garden, first laid out in 1710, and a woodland garden covering some 60 acres which was established in 1923 by the Duchess of Montrose, daughter of the 12th Duke of Hamilton.

The road from Corrie follows the coast north, then turns north west and goes through the bleak but extremely beautiful Glen Chalmadale before bringing you to Lochranza (“Loch of the rowan tree river”). On the shores of this sall village are the imposing ruins of Lochranza Castle (Historic Scotland), built in the 16th century as a hunting lodge for the Scottish kins.

At the entrance to the village is  Isle of Arran Distillers which has guided tours with a tasting of the distinctive whisky and a visitor centre. In the summer months a small car ferry runs from the Mull of Kintyre to Lochranza, the crossing taking about 35 minutes.

Beyond Lochranza is the small village of Catacol, with a row of identical whitewashed cottages known as The Twelve Apostles. They were built in the 19th century to accommodate islanders cleared from Glen Cataco in favour of deer. From here you get a good view across to the Mull of Kintyre, which is only four miles away.

The magnificent cliffs at Drumadoon stand high above a raised beach and are spectacular. The King’s Cave is close to the shore, and is supposed to be the cave where Robert the Bruce saw his spider, (hough many other places in Scotland and Ireland make a similar claim). From the village of Blackwaterfoot, south of Machrie Bay, a road called The String cuts across the centre of the island towards Brodick. The village of Shiskine, on The String, has the lovely St Molas Church, with an ancient stone carving of the saint embedded in its wall. The Balmichael Visitor Cntre is within a converted mill complex and has speciality shops and facilities for various outdoor activities.

Further on, and inland from Machrie Bay, is the wonderful Auchagallon Stone Circle, a Bronze Age burial cairn with a circle of 15 upright slabs surrounding it. There are several other ancient monuments in the area, including the Machrie Moor Stone Circle and the Moss Farm Road Stone Circle. It is said that this part of Arran has more stone circles per square mile than anywhere else in Scotland.

South of Blackwaterfoot the road continues on towards Lagg, and if you need convincing about the mildness of the climate hereabouts, the palm trees in the gardens of the Lagg Inn should do the trick. The Torrylinn Creamery, which makes traditional Dunlop cheese in the old fashioned way, has a viewing galleryand shop. The tiny island of Pladda, with its lighthouse of 1790, can be seen about a mile from the coast before the road turns north once more towards Whiting Bay, another small village and holiday resort. At one time it was a fishing port, and took its name from the whiting that were caught in the bay. A splendid walk starts from south of the village towards Glenashdale Falls and the prehistoric burial cairns known as the Giants Graves.

Lamlash sits on Lamlash By. Having the local high school, the hospital and the local goverment offices, it is the island’s capital. In the bay rises the magnificent bulk of Holy Island, so called because the Celtic St Molas lived a life of austerity here in the 6th and 7th centuries. Nowadays it has regained its religious significance as it is home to a Tibetan Buddhist monastery and retreat. Roaming around the island are Eriskay ponies, Soay sheep and Saanen goats. Visitors are welcome to the island and there are regular ferries during the season. Near Lamlash is the factory Arran Provisions, the island’s biggest employer. It makes a wide range of mustards, jams and preserves, and has a visitor centre and shop.