CORRIE AND SANNOX

The villages of Corrie and Sannox lie in the shadow of the highest peak on Arran, Goatfell, and there is a path starting near Corrie which ascends the mountain. Corrie got its name from the Gaelic "coire" meaning ravine. There are actually two corries: Corrie itself, which is strung out along the shoreline and the picturesque High Corrie, which enjoys magnificent views of mountain and sea. There are caves above Corrie harbour which are remnants of former limestone quarries, and were later used for boat building and repair. Visitors should beware of entering them, however, as they have been declared unsafe. Sannox has Viking origins, and was originally named Sandvik, or Sandy Bay, by them. There used to be a pier and light railway here when there was a Barytes mine nearby, but they were demolished after the mine's vein ran out. There was also a village in North Glen Sannox which became deserted in the 1800s when all the inhabitants emigrated to Canada. Some of the emigrants built a church in their new home very similar to the one in Sannox, which had only been in use for a few years before the emigration. There is a nine-hole golf course in Sannox, while walkers can set out from Sannox on a walk around Glen Sannox - details on the walkhighlands website.

Map of the area.

Corrie Harbour, Arran. Photo by wfmillar, via Wikimedia Commons

BRODICK

It is always fascinating to read archive newspaper reports, particularly those written during the war.  The August 15 1945 edition of the Glasgow Herald is full of reports of celebrations following the announcement of the surrender of Japan which marked the end of the Second World War in the Pacific, and therefore the end of the war overall (the war had ended in Europe in May).  In Brodick there was an impromptu church service at one o'clock in the morning attended by flocks of people who came "from along the foreshore, lit by the windows of boarding-houses and the V-flashing searchlights of warhips in the bay".  The report goes on to describe how the minister who took the service was woken by the hooting of the ships' sirens.  After the service church bells were rung, bonfires lit and flares ignited on the sand.

Brodick, which is dominated by Arran's highest peak, Goatfell, is the main tourist centre on Arran, largely due to the fact that it is served by the ferry service from Ardrossan on the opposite side of the Firth Of Clyde.  The town's attractions include a Heritage Museum which tells the island's history and an 18-hole golf course.  However, the biggest draw is Brodick Castle and its extensive grounds, located on the north side of Brodick Bay.  The present-day stately home dates from the 19th century, although the site was originally defended by the Vikings, and a castle was built here in the 13th century for the Stewarts of Menteith.  The castle has had many severe knocks over the years, whether on the part of the English, including the forces of Henry VIII and of Oliver Cromwell, or during the frequent clan skirmishes that took place here.   The interior of the castle is open to visitors, with many sumptuously furnished rooms on view, as well as the more mundane areas such as the kitchen and scullery, and there is also a dungeon.  The gardens are charming to walk around, while the surrounding country park offers a range of waymarked trails.  Probably the most unusual feature of the grounds is the Bavarian Summer House, which looks like something out of a children's fairy tale, with the exterior imitating tree roots and the interior covered with pine cones.

For events in Brodick and Arran, follow thjs link. 

Map of the area.  

Brodick Bay with Goatfell in background. Photo by Nick MacNeill, via Wikimedia Commons

LAMLASH

Lamlash is the biggest settlement on Arran and its main administrative centre.  It lies on Lamlash Bay, which benefits from the protection of Holy Isle, which straddles the outer reaches of the bay.  Holy Isle, where St Molias once lived in a cave, is home to a Buddhist retreat and can be reached via a 10-minute ferry ride from Lamlash.  The shelter afforded by the island was taken advantage of by King Hakon IV of Norway when he sheltered his fleet here in the 13th century, although he was given a pasting at the Battle Of Largs in 1263.  More recently, the Navy took advantage of the sheltered bay during both world wars.  The naval officers, who included future kings Edward VIII and George VI, availed themselves of the delights of the Lamlash Golf Club while in town.  There is a memorial to the Clearances in Lamlash, recalling the time that the exodus from the island due to the Clearances reached its peak.  In April 1829 a ship left Lamlash laden with 86 islanders and their possessions bound for Canada.  They settled in Megantic County, to be joined by other islanders in further displacements which continued until 1840.  The memorial in Lamlash was funded by a Canadian descendant of the displaced Arran inhabitants.

Map of the area. 

Lamlash Golf Course looking towards Holy Island - geograph.org.uk - 588649. Photo by John McLuckie, via Wikimedia Commons

 

KILMORY AND KILDONAN

The southern end of Arran is rich in history, particulary in the vicinity of Kilmory and Kildonan.  Near Kilmory is the ancient Torrylin Cairn, a Neolithic chambered burial cairn. When the cairn was excavated in 1900 eight skeletons were found along with a variety of artefacts.  Back in the village foodies will want to seek out the Torylinn Creamery which produces Arran Dunlop, a former champion in the British Cheese Awards. 

Kildonan, named after the Irish monk Saint Donan, lies at the south-east tip of Arran.  The village boasts one of the few sandy beaches on Arran, and offers wonderful views across to the coast of Ayrshire, to Ailsa Craig and the island of Pladda.  Kildonan Castle, built by the MacDonalds, the Lords Of The Isles, to protect Arran's strategic position in the Firth Of Clyde, only retains its 13th century keep today.  The castle was used as a hunting lodge by the Scottish kings including Robert III.  In the 16th century the castle passed to the hands of the Earls of Arran.

Live streaming webcams from Kildonan Hall.

Map of the area. 

Scotland, Isle of Arran, Kildonan, shore with Drimla Lodge. Photo by Vincent van Zeijst, via Wikimedia Commons

 

BLACKWATERFOOT

The String Road, which I mentioned at the end of my last post, comes out at Blackwaterfoot on the west coast. Blackwaterfoot is a small village with a tiny harbour and a pebble beach on the shore of Drumadoon Bay. Just to the north of the village is Drumadoon Point, where there is an Iron Age hill fort, and beyond that is a cave known as King's Cave where, according to some theories, Robert The Bruce had his famous encounter with the spider. Also to the north of the Point is an impressive geological feature known as the Doon, a set of basalt cliffs with the characteristic columnar structure. As well as the hill fort, Drumadoon Point is the location of what is regarded as one of the best golf courses in Scotland, the 12-hole Shiskine Golf and Tennis Club. Yes that's right, I haven't made a typo, there really are only 12 holes. This unique golf course started off as a 9-hole course, then work got underway to expand it to 18 holes, but due to the ravages of the First World War 6 of the holes fell into disuse, and it remains a 12-hole course to this day.

Shiskine is also the name of a village along the String Road just inland from Blackwaterfoot, which those approaching Blackwaterfoot from this direction may want to take a look at. The village has an unusual church called St Molios, which is also known as the "Red Church" due to the striking red hue of the stone used in its construction. St Molio was an Irish monk who, in the 6th century, lived a hermit's life on Holy Island in Lamlash Bay on the east coast of Arran. The interior of the church is notable for the woodwork on its ceiling, pews and wall panels, while its windows are graced with Romanesque arches, and there is some lovely detailed stonework - quite an elaborate interior for a church which has only been in use since 1889.

Map of the area.

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Drumadoon Point - geograph.org.uk - 9039. Photo by Anne Burgess, via Wikimedia Commons

MACHRIE

I have a map of Arran with symbols depicting the main tourist sites, and one thing that stands out is the number of ancient sites which appear at regular intervals along the south-west portion of the island's coast. One of these is at Machrie Moor, which is home to six stone circles in varying degrees of collapse. Many of the stones have fallen, but some are still standing, most notably a group of three stones in reddish sandstone which comprise circle No. 2, the tallest of which is 18 feet in height. This is in marked contrast to the double circle No. 5, otherwise known as Fingal's Cauldron Seat, which is formed from low granite boulders in two concentric rings, the outer of which is more oval in shape. Fingal, or Fionn MacCuill as he is known by his Gaelic name, was a legendary giant and warrior, and according to local lore he used a stone with a hole in it in the outer circle to tether his dogs while he ate a meal in the inner ring. Some people have suggested that the double circle served as the focus of the site. The stones are reached from the main A841 road via the farm track known as Moss Farm Road - the walk from the small car park provided for visitors is just over a mile. Surprisingly for such an eminent ancient site, there is no Visitor Centre, but there are Historic Scotland information boards to help visitors interpret the site. Nearby Machrie Bay is home to a stunningly situated golf course with fabulous views across the Kilbrannan Sound to the Kintyre Peninsula. Anyone wanting to visit Machrie from the island's main town, Brodick, can reach it via the scenic String Road, built by Thomas Telford in 1817 to connect the east and west coasts.

Standing Stones, Machrie moor (8640769988). Photo by John Mason, via Wikimedia Commons.

LOCHRANZA

The ferry crossing from tiny Claonaig on the east coast of the Kintyre Peninsula to Lochranza on the Isle of Arran takes just 30 minutes, so that it is possible to visit Arran on a day trip from Kintyre, as we did a few years ago. That said, there is plenty on the island to warrant a longer stay. Arran has a different feel to it from most other Scottish islands, mainly because it is protected from the full fury of the ocean by its location, nestling in the Firth of Clyde and with the Kintyre Peninsula to the west, Rothsay and Bute to the north, and the coast of Strathclyde to the east. Arran is sometimes referred to as "Scotland in Miniature", having its own store of granite peaks, wooded glens, waterfalls, wide beaches, ancient sites and more. As its name suggests, Lochranza is situated on a loch - Loch Ranza. The shoreline is dominated by Lochranza Castle, originally built by the MacSweens in the 13th century, although the present structure dates from the 16th century. There is an abundance of wildlife in the area, most notably the red deer, which sometimes stray on to the golf course, but also the more elusive sea creatures such as seals and otters, while golden eagles have been spotted overhead. The village is home to a Field Studies Centre as well as a Visitor Centre for the Isle Of Arran Distillery.

Map of the area.

Lochranza castle from the north - geograph.org.uk - 2742603. Photo by Andy Campbell, via Wikimedia Commons.