How to find 6 breathtaking places on the Isle of Arran

Do you want to visit remarkable Miniature Scotland?
Did you know that the Isle of Arran is known as ‘Miniature Scotland’? It is because it has an amazingly diverse landscape with its own Highland mountains, amazing beaches and you can experience the authentic Island lifestyle. It is situated just off the coast of Ayrshire and is divided into the Highland and Lowland terrain by the Highland Fault line. It is the 7th largest Island of Scotland and is only 20 miles long. This is an ideal Isle for a Scottish road trip. The main road around the Isle is approximately 55 miles. Instead of going to famous places that is a lot farther away as the Isle of Skye, the Isle of Arran offers you the perfect opportunity for a two to three-day trip from Edinburgh or Glasgow to reach the ferry in Ardrossan. Don’t forget to make your journey fun and try to include some stops as Kildonan Castle or Dragon Statue of Irvine Beach. I hope the list will provide you with inspiration and convince you that the Isle of Arran is worth a visit!

1. Admire the sunrise with views on the Holy Isle

Our amazing local Airbnb host gave us the tip to watch the sunrise at the Viking Fort Hill that is just a 10-15 minutes’ drive from Broderick at the east side of Arran. If you have the chance, hike up the hill in 20-30 minutes to reach the empty tops with an amazing magical view on Holy Isle.  It is amazing to see the sky come to live with the pink colours caused by the sunrise.

   

2. Make a stop in Lamlash

After admiring the view from the top of the bay, when continuing your drive make a quick stop at the waterfront to see the Holy Island in its full glory. There are enough parking spots to make a stop and walk on the beach front to admire the views.

3. The Giant's Graves (+ Glenashdale Falls waterfall)

The next stop is at the Giant’s Graves. Follow the trail signposted to Glenashdale Falls from the parking area at Ashdale Bridge. This is the southern edge of the Whiting Bay. If you got the time, try to combine this hike up the hill with a stop at the Glenashdale Falls waterfall but keep in mind that you need roughly an extra hour to complete this walk if you want to visit both the sites. If you don’t have that much time, just hike up the hill in roughly twenty minutes to half an hour. On a clear day, it provides you with a nice view over Whiting Bay village and its surroundings but the Giant Graves itself is the main attraction. The Giant Graves are two-chambered long cairn that is surrounded by trees.

4. Kildonan  (+ Kildonan Castle)

We have seen the castle when we drove by, but I think it is worth it to check it out. Kildonan is a small village that offers views on a small Isle with a lighthouse and the most important thing: Seals. If you want to admire seals, stop in the village and walk onto the beach. 

5. Drumadoon Point

The next stop is in Blackwaterfoot. If you park at the golf course, there is a great long beach next to the golf course that leads to the rock formations and basalt cliffs Drumadoon point. It is possible to continue the route and walk to King’s Cave but it is a long hike of roughly one hour and two hours in total to return. The King’s Cave is known for Robert the Bruce the King of Scots. The story states that he was hiding in the King’s Cave after the English defeated his army and he saw a spider continuously dropping down but never stopped weaving a web that led to the phrase: If at first, you don’t succeed try, try and try again. It lifted his spirit to continue fighting against the English.

6. Machrie Moor Standing Stones

If you continue driving upwards from Blackwaterfoot, in 15 minutes you will reach the parking spot for going to Machrie Moor. Keep in mind, that the walk is still 20 minutes through fields and if you reach there at the end of the day, you also need to walk back at least 20 minutes. The Machrie Moor Standing stones were built between 3500 – 1500 BC and were possibly used to watch sun activities or perform traditional rituals related to Druids religion. Some say or believe that the stones cure diseases or might transport you back in time (Outlander). 

It is possible to see all these sights, but choices need to be made if you prefer seeing waterfalls, hiking to the King’s Cave, Going to the Castle or spotting seals. There are a lot of options, and it really depends on your preference what will fit in this day or maybe spread it out over several days. This was in general what we did the first day driving around the Isle. After visiting Machrie Moor, we drove back to Broderick and grabbed dinner there. I hope this will help create ideas for possibly your own trip to the Isle of Arran.

Find out how to travel to Arran: Isle of Arran