Isle of Arran Sports & Outdoors

While many head for Arran’s golf courses, beaches, and Brodick Castle, a significant minority head for Arran’s trails. You’ll see them emergin from the ferry, trekking poles at the ready, gaiters on to protect them from Brodick’s gutters and Ordnance Maps in hand. The mountains around Goatfell attract most of the attention, but there are many other paths on Arran to walk besides, whether it is the great sea level walk around the Cock of Arran, the hike to King’s Cave (something to do with the patience of a spider and Robert the Bruce) from Blackwaterfoot, the Stone Circles of Machrie Moor or the lonely moors and mountains of the Glen Lorsa area. Even around Goatfell, if you stay off the main path up from Cladach, you can find solitude and discover the natural beauty that is Arran.

Equipment: For more on hiking and climbing in Arran’s mountains, the Ordnance Survey map is a good first start. I also found the advice contained in Paddy Dillon’s ’Walking on the Isle of Arran’ from Cicerone Press to be invaluable. Another website is this one.