We visit the largest island on the Firth of Clyde!
On Friday BDWS became 3 years old. It’s been a great 3 years and I have been working most days so this Saturday I took a rare day off from walking dogs, beginning the day early as I took Ruby to Arran for a big adventure! We were joined alongside BDWS VIP Isobel and her two lovely dogs Wilfred and Chilli.
This is my first visit to Arran and it’s a lovely island. We managed to drive most of the way round while visiting some sights within the hours we had and while the weather on the mainland was miserable we were lucky enough to get some sunshine. Arran is where my Dad and Uncles grew up so I’ve heard a lot about it and with the attractions of it’s ancient history still present I thought it would be a perfect place to spend the day.
And it is a great day out, you might think you have to spend days there and ideally you would, but if you leave early in the day and plan what you want to do on Arran you can make a great day of it and be home by dinner time.
Arran like the other islands has just beautiful beaches, lots of lovely scenery and a great place to walk the dogs – the dogs love it! The water is so clean and clear and there is no litter. Contrasts a lot to walking dogs at Erskine beach on the River Clyde which seems like a filthy dump in comparison.
From Ardrossan we get the Ferry to Brodick, Arran. Here, Ruby and I take a visit to the decks to take a look and in the distance we see and island…
Holy Isle, just off the coast of Arran. The island is owned by the Samyé Ling Buddhist Community, who belong to the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism!
Once we arrive we take a short drive to Blackwaterfoot beach to let the dogs stretch their legs!
Wilfred loves the water and heads straight there!
Ruby loves the water too!
Our first attraction is the stone circles of Machrie Moor! Our first visit is to a Cairn; a burial site 4000 years old.
A ewe feeds it’s lamb on Moss farm as we head to the stone circles
Wilfred took the lead and waited in the middle of each stone circle for us to arrive.
Built around 1800 BC, it’s been suggested that the stone circles were in general alignment with a notch on the skyline were Machrie Glen divides into two. This notch is intersected by the sun on Midsummer’s morning.
Ruby standing on an Arran stone!
This stone pillar is over 18 ft tall!
Time for a treat!
There is graffiti carved into this pillar, some of it decades old! Isobel takes a closer look!
This circle has 3 large pillars!
We take a lunch-break at the lighthouse restaurant in Pirnmill!
After lunch we go North and visit the Arran distillery in Lochranza and with luck we find a tour is just about to take place!
The beginning of the Arran whiskey tour!
This is where Whiskey is made! Isobel leans over with a very long straw
The whiskey shop!
Near the Arran distillery lies the 13th century Lochranza castle.
A boat in Lochranza.
Last attraction before we go home is Brodick castle on the East coast!
Ruby wants to read the map too!
The gardens at Brodick castle!
The front doors of Brodick castle!
Brodick castle
We pass a highland cow as we head back to the port!
A rainbow on the firth of Clyde!
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