Adventures on Arran

The combination is perfect – possibly my favourite place to be, and travelling in my favourite vehicle, and the beautiful island of Arran never disappoints. Currently sitting in the driveway, I am daydreaming of better times, and last year when I took Ali Bongo over the Firth of Clyde for a couple of days on Arran.

In many ways, the Bongo is ideally suited to exploring Arran, or anywhere in the Highlands and Islands, really. They are compact, making travel by ferry no more expensive than taking the family car. They are agile, and negotiating the narrow, winding, hilly routes round the island are a breeze. And of course, you have your accomodation with you! So you can explore and either park up discretely at the many quiet car parks and lay-bys ( obviously careful not to be a nuisance to locals and other road users) or make use of the excellent campsites around the island, for a few pounds get access to electric hookup, showers and toilets, and often shop supplying essentials. A trip round the coastal road of some 55 miles takes only a few hours, gives you a feel for the island and the variety of scenery available.

There are campsites all around the island – Glen Rosa, near Brodick, Middleton’s in Lamlash, Kildonan, Machrie and Lochranza at the top of the west side. All are quiet and offer the facilities you would look for, with Middleton’s being close enough to the village of Lamlash that you can walk in for shops, cafes and soaking up the island vibe.

I am extremely fortunate that I live only a couple of miles from the ferry terminal, which is in Ardrossan. This has allowed me to take the voyage to Arran many times, and I enjoy wild camping on the remote hills of the north end of the island. Some of the best hillwalking in Scotland can be found here, with some rugged wee mountains, not quite making the Munro requirements of 3000ft, but there are four Corbetts to climb, and their steep and rocky slopes start pretty much from sea level, so you know you have climbed the 2800 feet of some for sure!

The crossing takes around 50 minutes, time enough to walk the deck, taking in the views of Ardrossan and the Three Towns as you leave the mainland, and the ever closer island, with the port of Brodick slowly getting bigger off the bow. Views of the mountainous north end are stunning in good weather, and the hills seem to beckon the keen walker. We dock in Brodick, and as the cars, vans and trucks make their way up the rampway and queue patiently to exit the port either left, south, to Lamlash, or right, north, through Brodick and on to the northern end or past the village and catch the String Road across the island’s “waist” to Blackwaterfoot and Machrie. I turned left, and headed to Lamlash, over the steep hill between the island’s two biggest settlements, then over the crest and winding down toward the sea again at Lamlash, with views over it’s bay to Holy Isle.

I had booked in to the excellent Middleton’s campsite, and was shown to a large and level pitch with hookup, ideally not too far or too close to the toilet blocks. On this occasion I made this my first night’s base, but have stayed at all of the sites on the island, and the welcomes are warm and sincere, the facilities are well kept, and I would say the owners make every effort to ensure you enjoy your stay on the island, often offering advice, or ideas of daytrips etc. You will not be disappointed whichever you choose. I parked up, plugged in my hookup cable, got the fridge set up, and headed off to the local Co-Op, about a 15 minute walk. After I returned and stocked the fridge with salad…and cider…I set off for a walk toward the south point of the bay, King’s Cross Point. A decent old walk, certainly a couple of miles, but the views across the narrow sound to Holy Isle are glorious. There are remains of a Viking fort here, as well as more obvious and more recent evidence of gun emplacements and lookout posts, in ruins now but vital to keep the ships anchored in the bay safe during WW2. Lots of war history around the island, and I recommend a visit to the Museum in Brodick for some fascinating photos and detail. I headed back, feeling re-charged as the atmosphere of the island soaked in.

The following day I headed left, south, from the campsite entrance, following the coast road through Whiting Bay and on to the south end, where sits the small low lying isle of Pladda at Kildonnan. There are some gems of beaches here, white sands and stunning views back over the Firth of Clyde towards Ayr, and further to Culzean castle on a good day. The road twists and drops, then climbs as we traverse the gorges along the rocky coastline now, through sleepy hamlets like Lagg, with it’s pretty coaching inn and gardens, round and then heading back north again, this time on the west side of the island looking towards the Mull of Kintyre and Cambeltown, and very occasionally the Northern Irish coast is visible across the North Channel. Not today, however, as the hazy and sunshine obscured anything more than a few miles offshore. I arrived in the village of Blackwaterfoot, and stopped for a cuppa and a bite to eat from the local shop. Hard to beat some home baking, and there are plenty of artisan bakers and eateries around the island, brilliant!

Further north is Machrie Moor and King’s Caves, two great spots for a wander, and there is a car park at the latter which allows you to explore both. The Moor and it’s standing stones are something to see, and there is a definite significance to the site chosen by our ancestors when they erected the huge stones. You can almost feel the weight of the ages as you walk among them. The Caves are reached by a trail through pine forest, down a steep path to the rocky shore, which becomes impassable at certain states of the tide, and a short walk on the pebble beach to the cave entrance. This cave, like many others in Scotland, is reputed to be the famous cave Bruce saw his spider climb, fail and climb again. It is certainly an atmospheric place, and the names of sailors and previous visitors carved into the soft sandstone rocks date for hundreds of years.

I regained the trail to the car park, and set off north once more, until reaching Lochranza and the campsite. The village itself is tiny, a few dozen houses, and the ferry terminal which allows onward passage to the Mull of Kintyre and the Inner hebridean islands, Islay and Jura, as well as Gigha and Colonsay. The short crossing is on a small double ended ferry during the summer months, with no real need to book if you aren’t in any rush, and you can queue and watch the small ship cross the narrow seaway and perhaps sample some home baking at the Sandwich Station cafe just across the road.

I have stayed here at the campsite many times, in small hiking tents, large family tents, and the Bongo. The site is next to the golf course, and the owner looks after both, always beavering away, always cheery. There is a very popular restaurant next to the campsite, however you will have to book days in advance, as the food is apparently superb….we never did get a table yet! Facilities on site are excellent, with a campers room, furnished with microwave, fridge and a drop-off point for anything you don’t want to carry that you feel someone else might be able to use, a great idea.

Lochranza is a great base for walking from, and you could easily leave your van pitched up here, catch the regular bus round the island back to Brodick for groceries, or just walk and explore. I have done both, and in fact the Arran Coastal walk can be completed leaving your base here and catching buses to the start and end of each day. Another great walk takes you over the hill on the northernmost end of Arran, the Postman’s Path, used traditionally to deliver mail, herd livestock and take supplies to one of the remote townships, deserted now, on the north east coast at Laggan. There were quite a few families lived here in days past, hardy souls living off the land on crofts, and this rugged and steep path is a shortcut over the hill, rather than around the shoreline. A solitary croft building, Laggan Cottage, still exists as a bothy here, and it can be seen from the mainland on sunny mornings, glinting white in the low sun. A short bus ride also takes you to North Glen Sannox, where the north faces of the Arran mountains beckon. A summer night summit camp here is just stunning.

So much to see and do!

This trip is over all too soon, and work commitments mean I have to head back to Brodick to catch a ferry. This drive completed my circumnavigation of Arran, taking me the 23 miles or so back to Brodick, over the highest road to North Sannox, passing the Arran Distillery as you leave Lochranza, and giving I think the finest views of the Arran hills as you wind back down to Sannox village, on through Corrie and back to Brodick.

The contrast from mainland living is hard to describe, but the genuinely highland vibe Arran has is real, and only an hour on the ferry from mainland Scotland. This makes it very popular during the summer and school holidays, and with the Road Equivalent Tarriff reduced fares meaning you can take your Bongo over for around £50 return you can imagine it gets pretty busy. I therefore recommend booking campsites and ferries prior to setting off.

It feels like forever since I had the good fortune to visit my favourite island, and in current Lockdown it feels like it will be a long time before we are able to do so again. When we do, it will feel even more magical and precious a place, and I can’t wait to soak up the atmosphere and views, letting the magic of Arran fill the senses and recharge the batteries.

A compulsory trip to the excellent chippy at the pier before boarding for fish and chips, queueing before boarding at the new terminal recently opened, then it was back on board for the short sailing home again. My fish and chips tasted even better on the upper deck, sitting in the sunshine and thinking back on my most recent trip to “Scotland’s Holiday Isle”.

I hope to visit again soon, and whether that trip takes the form of a daytrip and hill walk, a camping trip, or another Bongo adventure, it will definitely be enjoyable and feel all the more precious this time too.