Arran Day 4 - Lagg to Kildonnan

Arran Day 4
Wednesday 17th June
Lagg to Kildonnan

Walk distance 8.5km
Cycle 0km
Height 0 m
6 hours - 3 hours waiting for tide to drop

Total coastal distance on Arran walked  38.5km
Running height climbed  1359 m
Total coastal distance cycled 0
Total coastal distance driven 0

Failing to beat the self timer on my camera

Parked at Whiting Bay, which was where I was hoping to walk to by the end of the day.  Caught a bus to Lagg Hotel and walked the first section to find the ancient barrow of Torrylin Cairn, a Neolithic chambered tomb, used for communal burials.


Weather wise it was a little windy and it looked as if rain threatened.  But the wind was behind me and at one point it did rain hard. The first section of the walk is along really nice beaches and super views of Ailsa Craig island.  A stray cloud made it look as if the island was erupting.  65 million years or so after it last did so.


 Early on I saw one seal but otherwise it seemed quiet.  I reached the large boulder that marks where the Black Cave.  It was easy to get into the cave and explore it.  It is Arrans largest cave.  I presumed some rock pipits had a nest nearby as they kept calling in alarm and flying around the cave entrance.

Adjacent to the cave is a fine waterfall plummeting over the old cliffs.  The tide was nearly at its height so it wasn’t possible to walk around Bennan Head.  I decided to have lunch and wait. I found a large rock that sheltered me from the wind.  As I waited I could see gannets occasionally fly close by. These might nest on Ailsa Craig - an island renowned for its breeding gannet colony.  Every  now and then I checked the tide but it took a long time to turn and drop.  I waited for close on three hours, but enjoyed it thoroughly, just soaking up the atmosphere and peace.  In fact once it was safe to do so without getting wet feet I realised I could have climbed around the headland quite safely.  The bigger challenge was the boulder field  beyond. These boulders were of all sizes and at many angles. Thankfully they weren’t slippery if you avoided the ones below the tide line.  In places there were small boulders and pebbles but these tended to move around and weren’t so stable. Another peregrine announced its presence and called constantly as I walked below its cliff, and presumably nest. Once beyond this a gentle machair grassland fringed beaches. The beaches have scattered boulders and pebble areas. Also large igneous basalt dykes project into the water. Some of these look artificial, just like groynes built into the breakers.  A few did have boulders added to them to act a stock barriers.    In places seals rested on these dykes and a few perched seemingly precariously on rocks in the water.


The island of Plada, with a round lighthouse was now clearly visible. Cattle grazed the machair. The village store marked on the OS map doesn’t exist anymore.  At the Kildonan Hotel by an old telephone exchange building I decided to head back, as it was already well into the evening.   The next section to Whiting Bay is apparently very slow going as its all boulders.

Arran Day 3 Holy Island

Day 3
Arran Day 3
Tuesday 16th June
Holy Island

Walk distance 7km
Cycle 0km
Height 345 m
3 hours

Total coastal distance on Arran walked  30km
Running height climbed  1359 m
Total coastal distance cycled 0
Total coastal distance driven 0

The ferry crossing cost  £12. In fact it was more of a small boat, so ferry is perhaps gives the wrong impression . Three Canadians, two Scots and a Dutch man crossed with me. The crossing probably took 15 minutes. On the floating pontoon at Holy Island, we were welcomed by a volunteer living on the island. This lady, in a colourful dress, and very cheery disposition explained the holy nature of the site and also suggested where we may like to visit. The backdrop to the grazed lawn was a rather beautiful house set off with many Buddhist prayer flags. This is the Centre for World Peace and Health. http://www.holyisland.org/  The island is owned by Buddhist monks.    I took the walk over the hill. The path went by a large plantation of native trees, planted by volunteers. Fenced off to keep the islands animals off. On Holy island are native goats, Soay sheep and Eriksay ponies. All are wild.

Up above the trees the path winds up through moorland. Amongst the heather, especially at the south end I saw bearberry growing.


This delicate looking plant formed a bright green and red carpet under the heather. All three heathers were growing side by side, with bell heather in flower. The views from the top - Mullach Beag, included Goat Fell, although today it was  partly shrouded in cloud. The path down was fairly steep and the cliffs to the west very high. Among the heather I saw a few flower spikes of heath spotted orchid as well as tormentil and heath bedstraw. At the south end I was surprised to see a very attractive square towered lighthouse.


Here I had lunch, whilst watching cormorants out at sea. Above common gull made a racket. They were nesting on steep scree slopes. Presumably there are no foxes or badgers around. The return path is at sea level following a track way on the wave cut platform. Another lighthouse and cottages, in a similar stile are fenced off. These, as well as hill side pods and cabins are retreats. Nuns live in the cottages. Why cant I get carry on film ideas about nuns out of my head? On the way back I saw lots of soay sheep on the shore as well as a few ponies. A common gull dive bombed me even though I was a long ways from its nest on a scree slope.  In places I spotted  interesting plants such as sundew, marsh orchid and climbing fumitory. I got an impression of neglect of old shoreline pastures, swamped by bracken. I also thought the tree planting could be misguided unless it was well planned. I thought it would  not be many years before the orchids vanish under the shade of trees. Buddhists believe in not killing anything, but I cant see how that works if you want to manage land. Nature is so linked to our traditional management systems that much vanishes without our actions. The same though is true for the lack of that we do since traditional management has ceased almost everywhere in the countryside. The road verges mentioned before are just one example. Further on I passed beautiful paintings of Buddhist images on rock outcrops.


Then the cave of St. Molaise, this Irish saint lived here years ago around 600AD. Shrill calls from a crag attracted me but scanning with my binoculars I could see no sign of young bird of prey. Until a female peregrine swooped in to feed them. The nest was too hidden though to see the young. Finally I visited the little Buddhist shop for a welcome coffee. The sea was a little rougher on the way back, splashing some in the boat.  The Dutch guy was very chatty. We shared concerns about the state of the world and worried about pollution from farming and fisheries. We talked about the unique no catch zone set up south of holy island. This is the first in Scotland. It provides a refuge for sea life to breed.  The Community of Arran Sea-bed Trust influenced Government to set up the zone in 2008. Afterwards I went to the pool at in Brodick. A really nice swimming pool complete with sauna, steam room and footbaths. In the evening had a very nice Hawaiian pizza at Lamlash Bay Hotel.

Arran Day 2 Brodick to Corrie - Goat Fell

Arran Day 2
Monday 15th June
Brodick to Corrie - Goat Fell

Walk distance 11km
Cycle 0km
Height 874 m
4 hours

Total coastal distance on Arran walked  23km
Running height climbed  1024 m
Total coastal distance cycled 0
Total coastal distance driven 0

Parked at car park near to the Castle

The Arran beer shop at the start looked inviting and I hoped to make time to come back and visit. The first part of the walk was a steady climb up a good forest track. It made a change to walk in a forest. There had been some clearing of trees. The resulting fresh growth of purple flowering rhododendrons and the pale green tips of sapling spruce was very striking. Even if rhododendron is an introduced plant, and a very invasive one - it is beautiful.  If I stopped for too long the midges started to home in, especially as the air was still and warm. 

Spikes of bog asphodel just emerging from the peat

Once above the forest the hills are clad in heather, both ling and bell heather. The b ell heather is already in flower.  In damper places sweetly scented bog myrtle grows.


I was pleased to find a few flowering common butterwort in bloom too. There delicate mauve heads protruding above their deadly leaves. Wildlife as so often on mountain and moorland was not obvious. But a raven obliged and sat calling nearby while near the top I saw one dive, closing its wings and dropping so fast.  The path gradually became narrower and before long it was a mix of smooth natural stone boulders and slabs as well as steps. The land is owned by the National trust for Scotland, so I assume the steps had been built by volunteers. Although dry today the numerous gullies that had been built indicated that the path could be quite wet.  Up to just below the spur leading to the steeper ascent I had not seen anyone. Then a few started to pass me on there way down. I could now see many people ahead of me looking small in the distance.  Following their progress I could now see the way up to the summit of Arran’s highest mountain, Goat Fell. Everyone greeted one another. The higher I went the more steps there were. The path made the way easy. On the downside it felt a little artificial. In some ways it was also harder on the knees as there was little variation in how you could walk.  (in fact coming down was painful).



The final steeper climb was well worth it. There were some distant low clouds but it was possible to see Jura Kintyre, Ayrshire, Bute and much of Arran. The nearby knife edge ridges were spectacular. I would like to return to walk more of these mountains. On the summit is a white trig point. There is also a direction finder showing all the features you could make out. Amazingly the wind was calm and the sun shone.




After returning the way I had come to start with, I then followed a different path down to Corrie. This was an attractive route with less people. It was only at the edge of the forest that I checked the time. I had walked for longer than I realised. My choice was to rush down to catch the next bus or to give myself three hours before the next bus. I decided on the former. The last bit was a bit too quick, so I barely had time to appreciate the roaring stream that the path followed.  The numerous horse flies failed to catch me.  Arriving on-time, and dropped off before 5pm I had time to call in at the Arran brewery shop and try a beer I had not had before. I ended up buying a case.  Spent part of a pleasant evening in the Drift Inn enjoying the view of Holy Island.

Arran Day 1 Blackwaterfoot to Lagg

Arran Day 1
Sunday 14th June
Blackwaterfoot to Lagg

Walk distance 12km
Cycle 0km
Height 150 m est
5 hours
Bus to start point

Total coastal distance on Arran walked  12km
Total coastal distance cycled 0
Total coastal distance driven 0

Running coastal total distance  12km
Running height climbed  150 m




This is the first trip to a Scottish Island since I decided to explorebritainwithme.  I have visited one most years in the past but so far had only visited Arran for  a day trip, to Lochranza, when I was about 20 years old.   I remember that trip very well and so am pleased to be returning  twenty years later to explore more. For now I decided to visit the main islands alphabetically.  I arrived the day before taking the ferry from Ardrossan.  I started off the days walk by parking the car at the post office at Lagg and after a quick coffee at the Lagg Hotel caught the bus Blackwaterfoot. The trip coincided with Arran Iron man and the bus driver passed the first few cyclists as they circled the island. Unfortunately a few cyclists were delayed as the bus tried to negotiate tight bends and other traffic.

Once at Blackwater foot I got underway.  The walking is a quite  a contrast to my recent Welsh coastal route. There are high cliffs , but they are set back from the shore by maybe 50 meters. Instead of walking on cliff tops, the path meanders; at times  along the wave cut platform and at times on the boulder and pebble strewn beach.  The platform is sometimes backed by old sea caves, showing how the land has risen over time.  One is known as Preaching Cave as it was used as a chapel for a time.  Mostly the walking was dry with just a few wet spots where water seeps out of the cliffs.  I was fortunate with the weather as it was a clear blue sky.  I was very struck by the bird life and it wasn’t long before I saw a ringed plover, an oystercatcher and then a common sandpiper.  Cormorants also perched sunning themselves on rocks.  I saw families of mallard as well as shelduck.   Soon after leaving Blackwaterfoot I saw a seal.  Unlike its Welsh counterparts this was a common seal.  With a  much more  puppy shaped head they look more friendly and are frankly cute.  This one was enjoying the sunshine and also was watching me.  After Kilpatric Point I saw an otter.


I sat down to watch it.   The otter was floating on its back eating something.  Then it dived and came up with a crab. It took this to a seaweed bedecked rock where it demolished it, first lifting off the casing.  Then it lay flat on the top of the rock in the sun.  Fairly soon he or she was diving again and repeatedly took whatever it had caught to a rock.  I managed to take a few photos and in the process a rock pipit landed near me so I took pictures of that too. I watched the otter for about thirty minutes, whilst eating my lunch.  He didn’t seem bothered by me and most have seen me.  A bit further on I saw black guillemots, some on the water and some on rocks. They are delightfully colored - striking black and white bodies with wonderful red webbed feet.    On the cliffs the cry of two fulmars at a nest drew my attention. To the noise ravens were also drawn.  Four raven dropped down calling, and three settled close to the nest.  The ravens were then spooked, presumably by my presence, and left.

Perhaps the fulmars had a lucky escape.  There then came a section of awkward walking in among overgrown brambles and also some boulder hopping.  When this came to an end I was looking forward to walking on the fields ahead.  However a coastal path sign took me off up a very steep tree clad cliff, that was in the process of having steps built on the path.  It was quite hard to get up and a rope, presumably put up by the chaps building the path, proved quite useful,  This path came out on the islands circular road. It was a change to walk on tarmac initially.  The scenery was different too. With moorland and cliffs directly above and cattle pasture below.  The road gradually wound and climbed to Sliddery and then back to Lagg. Once again I saw ravens, perhaps the same party. This time there five of them circling, calling and playing.  As in Wales there seems to be lots of chapels.



Here I passed one by Sliddery seeming located away from the  main centre of habitation.   This may be because they were non conformist chapels or perhaps the people and houses associated with them have since gone. Even here though was a war memorial to those killed in WW1 and WWIII had read that southern Arran was mostly pasture for cattle.  This is most definitely correct. I hadn’t appreciated that it would be so hilly and that even here moorland dominates the hinterland.  The roadway was inevitably hard walking, although the views were magnificent.  There was lots of red campion, foxglove and bluebells in the hedgerows.  The waysides were less diverse than other remoter islands, perhaps reflecting the loss of traditional grazing and haycutting along roadsides.   On Barra for instance many waysides are still grazed and they are really rich with plant life. From the road, out to sea are fine views of the volcanic plug, Ailsa Craig.  Except for traffic on the road (as many cyclists as cars) I had not seen a single walker all day.

National Botanic Garden of Wales and Carreg Cennen Castle

Tuesday 2nd June
National Botanic Garden of Wales and Carreg Cennen Castle





The next day was just too windy too walk so I headed to the National Botanic Garden of Wales for my first visit,  I was impressed by parts, especially the large single span glasshouse, filled with plants from all over the world.   There were a few ideas to take away from the vegetable gardens.  Somehow the gardens all looked to new and didn’t inspire me a great deal.  The displays of stumps of African rainforest trees actually offended me. Whilst I could see that the message of deforestation was being portrayed, transporting such huge objects is hardly environmentally sound.  The same message could have been portrayed with storm up rooted trees from nearby.



At the eastern end of the Black Mountains lies Carreg Cennen. Carreg Cennen is my favorite castle and I was really pleased to have the chance to visit it again, even in high winds.  Best of all is the tunnel underneath for which I had taken a torch.  No one knows what the tunnel is really for. The first part descends steps and then a slope and has windows cut into the cliff the castle sits upon.  Further on it becomes a conventional tunnel, winding ever deeper beyond the castle

.  At the end I turned my torch off just to experience the darkness and silence. Only drips of water could be heard. As I climbed back up the noise of the wind gradually grew and grew.   After I looked in at the adjacent long house, which is older than the castle.  Here next to the animals up to 18 people lived in one small room.

Day 13 Pwll Deri to Porthgain

Day 13
Monday 1st June
Pwll Deri to Porthgain

Walk distance 16 km est
Cycle 0km
Height 460 m est
6 hours
Walked from Youth Hostel

Total coastal distance walked  15km
Total coastal distance cycled 0

Running coastal total distance  183.45km
Running height climbed  5733m

View from hill fort above hostel

The hostel

The evening before

He did wake me! As the other hostellers were also getting up early I decided I may as well do the same and after a cooked breakfast I was out walking by quarter to eight. The first section includes a vast 2 km length of cliffs over 450 feet high.  It is this section that is most visible form the panoramic windows in the hostel. It was windy and I was expecting heavy rain. A couple of times I put on over trousers as heavy showers went over.  Thankfully the darkest cloud belts were missing me. The sun even made a brief appearance and  when I reached a relatively sheltered bay and beach at Aber Mawr I was able to comfortably stop for a cup of tea.

 I walked faster than the day before and didnt stop as much to admire views or to look for wildlife. However in the shelter of the pretty fishing harbour at Abercastle I sat on a bench and had a second cup of tea. This time I had a robin for company. I fed the robin cheeses biscuits.

A hill side cavern?

A small diversion took me to Careg Sampson, the remains of a burial chamber. The top slab is 5 meters by 3,  and it is over 5000 years old.

The forecast was for gales from mid day onwards. By now it was getting windier and walking on exposed paths felt less comfortable. The exposed peninsula of Pen Castell-Coch is dramatic and besides yet another fort, there are fabulous views of a rock arch as well as numerous rock stacks.




Beyond I reached Aber Draw, the beach below the village of Trefin. Here, now in drizzle, I sheltered in the ruin of  a mill house and had my lunch.


Checking the bus timetables I decided that I could walk to the next village beat the storms.  Well the storm beat me and just as I started heavy rain came down. Surprisingly I passed quite few bedraggled walkers and hikers.  By the time I reached Porthgain I was fairly wet.  The last corner took my breath away as I wasn’t expecting to see huge industrial ruins and a thick harbour wall.  The place looked intriguing and I read a sign explaining about the brief export brick and slate industry that was based here.

I gladly headed for the bus stop by the Sloop Inn, and with 30 minutes spare, and after removing rather wet clothes, enjoyed  a pint of beer in the dry and warm.
The bus came on time and dropped me at the end of the lane near the hostel. The last mile back in heavy rain was a bit of a chore. But once back at the hostel I was able to change (having put spare clothes in my car).   A couple had also just arrived and the three of us managed to change in the confines of the hostel porch.  Too wet to worry about modesty. We then all had a drink together stood in the porch and talked, mostly, about the weather. They had walked all of the SW coastal path and were now intent on walking the Pembrokeshire path in one go. I didn’t envy them carrying all the kit, including a tent.  I then drove into Fishguard to wait until the hostel opened at 5pm. That evening I was very glad of a shower and was pleased to eat another meal with interesting company.  The couple I mentioned earlier were both from Devon.   The gale continued all evening and into the next day. It was very satisfying to be in the warm, with such impressive views of the rough sea and the noise of the waves, wind and rain.