Explore Britain with me: Arran Day 6 Sightseeing

Explore Britain with me...

Thank you for joining me. My journey has only just begun (September 2014). I will be travelling around the coast of Britain over the coming years. I hope to see all the coastline and much of the interior. I am going anticlockwise and randomly started at the Dyfi Estuary, one of the most beautiful parts of Wales that I already knew, overlooked by the most beautiful mountain Cadar Idris. I am looking forward to seeing and recording all sorts of things. My own passion extends to wildlife, geology, scenery, history, architecture and I am interested to meet people and see the communities and towns that I pass. I have read different accounts on the length of the coast and it varies enormously, but at its extreme could be as much as 37000km, taking into accurate measurements and including all the islands. I don't think that's feasible, but much probably is! I suspect Ill use a combination of foot power, bikes and busses if I am to do it all. Perhaps I can use boats too and maybe even swim a bit.

Thursday, 2 July 2015

Arran Day 6 Sightseeing

Arran Day 6
Friday 19th June
Brodick castle, Blackwatersfoot to King’s cave
and Machrie Moor

Walk distance 9.5km
Cycle 0km
Height 0m
3 hours

Total coastal distance on Arran walked 54km
Running height climbed 1478 m
Total coastal distance cycled 0
Total coastal distance driven 0

I spent a couple of hours walking a round Brodick Castle gardens. Although storm damaged they were still interesting and there were unusual trees and a lot of color. I was impressed by the tree ferns that grow in the relatively mild climate. Today the midges were out, even in the indoor café. Afterwards, I drove to Blackwatersfoot and walked a relatively short distance around Drumadoon Point to the famous King’s cave. The route passes under some impressive cliffs. A black headed gull came close to hitting me as I walked along the path, but too near its nest. This was the first still day and the midges were out in force. Although within yards of the tide line it was free of midges. The caves were very impressive but I did not have a chance to enjoy them in solitude as a dozen youngsters were camping in the largest cave, and a had a rather smoky fire alight. With the evening approaching I returned the same way and drove to a small car park near Machrie Moor to walk to the standing stones I had read about.
The walk, on a dry stone track, was easy. I passed people leaving the site and was lucky to have the area to myself - that is except for the curlews that were calling. These added to the mystical nature. There were ancient tombs, small low circles of standing stones as well as two circles with very large stones within them. One stone looked rather phallic. The whole place, set amidst the mountains is very special.

This was a good place to end my holiday. In the end I had walked much of the non road walking sections of coast, been up the highest mountain and seen a number of sights. I feel though a return trip is needed to see the last few sections of coast and also to walk some of Machrie Moor and the spectacular mountain ridges in the north. In the evening I enjoyed a lovely pint in the Drift Inn.

Explore Britain with me