signed inscribed and dated
Arran is also famous as the place where Robert Bruce sought shelter when in hiding from the soldiers of Edward of England. Tradition has it that to avoid his pursuers he moved about the island, sheltering at one time in the famous King's Cave at Drumadoon, and at another at the ancient prehistoric fort in beautiful Glen Cloy, called Tor na' shian, or Mound of the Fairies, from which a view is obtained of the whole of the glen. There, too, it is said, when hunted by bloodhounds, he used to take exercise by wading up and down the Glen Cloy burn at High Glen Cloy, where it runs under the fine woods of Kilmichael, the home of the MacLouies or Fullartons. In Glen Cloy the ruins of a fort bear the name of Bruce’s Castle, in which his men lay concealed, and on the southern arm of Loch Ranza stands a picturesque ruined castle which is said to have been his hunting-seat. Kildonan Castle, near the south-easternmost point, is a fine ruin of the 14th century, once a royal stronghold. The island gave the title of earl to Thomas Boyd, who married the elder sister of James III., a step so unpopular with his peers that he had to fly the country, and the title soon afterwards passed to the Hamiltons. Brodick Castle, the ancestral seat of the dukes of Hamilton, is a splendid mansion on the northern shore of Brodick Bay.Glen Cloy held its steading and community of workers. Some of these cottages still stand, and it was here that Mrs William Gray ran a Post Office and grocery business in 1870, where a Post runner and spring cart took the mail to Corrie, another took those for Shiskine. Locals collected there own. Below on the shore, hulls of old vessels could be seen until quite recently.
The Arran's hills may be comparatively small, but don't let that deceive you. They are some of the best jaggedy hills in Scotland, with classic ridges joining them together, letting you explore the Island from up high. Goatfell is the highest peak on the Island, it is also the most accessible. This mountain is rocky on all sides, and makes a forbidding guardian of the entrance to Glen Sannox. The trickiest bit of scrambling is quite low down. After that you can relax and enjoy the ladder to the roof of the Island. After the summit of Cioch na-h Oighe the ridge continues over North Goatfell and onto Goatfell itself by way of Stachach ridge. It's a sky ride of awesome outlook and heady heights.
The Witch's Step is the famous gap in the east ridge of Caisteal Abhail is very obvious and calls to you from the Boguille road. We like to climb from North Glen Sannox, up onto the friendly ridge of Suidhe Fhearghas, and then continue west to tackle Cuem na Cailleach - the Witch's Step.
Three Beinns Inversion by Elanor McNamara There's quality scrambling all the way to the summit of Caisteal Abhail. From there you can follow the curving northward ridge to Sail an Im, bringing us back to North Glen Sannox, a full circle of Coire nan Ceum. Horseshoe ridges like this one are very satisfying - allowing most of the day to be spend up high and no long stomp back to your starting point.
The three Beinns - Beinn a Chliabhain, Beinn Tarsuinn and Beinn Nuis - make a classic horseshoe ridge walk. You'll start in dramatic Glen Rosa but at the Blue Pools you'll turn west and follow the Garh Allt up into Coire a Bhradain. Then you have 3 kms of beautiful and varied scrambling and ridges to carry you right round the corrie, taking in all three peaks in one long airy ride. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Cir Mhor is the hub of the north Arran hills. It's the iconic one at the head of Glen Rosa, (and Glen Sannox) that towers over you when you swim in the Blue Pool. A great option is to climb Cir Mhor from Glen Rosa, and then have the option to drop down the steep long slide to The Saddle, and then tackle North Goatfell on the other side. Cir Mhor is a right proper hill, with steep cliffs, excellent climbing and an exposed, blocky summit. Climb it and you'll be right at the heart of the north Arran hills.
The Western hills are often overlooked, but they are well worth a visit. The ridge stretches 5 kms from Beinn Bharrain at its southern end above Imacher to Meall Donn and Meall Biorach - the hills above Coire Fhionn Lochan - at its northern end, only dropping below 600m once! That's a quality, airy day. You'll get a totally different angle on the Island from this side.
Holy IsleHoly Isle is a very special place. It has a unique atmosphere. It's no surprise to anyone who's visited it that it has attracted a Christian monk and a Buddist community to live there over the years. There have been many other interesting vistors, too, from Vikings to Soay sheep, Eriskay ponies and wild goats, and some of them are still here. Come and visit and see what it means to you. Holy Isle has bird and wildlife in abundance. This is a very popular day out that we don't think you'll ever forget.
The northern hills of Arran are the result of a large 'batholith' - a volcanic bubble of magma that never erupted but formed a huge granite dome as it cooled. Subsequent glaciation has carved beautiful valleys into the rock, leaving grippy, solid peaks connected by high arêtes. These make for delightfully scrambly high-ways, and a series of classic ridge walks where you can join several peaks together in one awesome day of adventure. Four of the Arran hills qualify as Corbetts - Scottish peaks over 2500 feet, but less than 3000 feet. (Being a hill over 3000 feet in Scotland makes you a Munro. Arran doesn't have any Munros, but we think Corbetts are better anyway).