What to Do: Planning your Holiday Time in Lochranza and the north-west of Arran

Local Culture

•    Arran Distillery tours are every hour on the half hour. Learn about the history of distilling on the island whilst sitting in a replica of an old crofting cottage. Tours include the observation of the production of whisky and opportunities for whisky-tasting. The Distillery has a gift shop and café.

•    Lochranza and Catacol Village Hall events: see our What’s On page for concerts, ceilidhs and galas in the summer months.

Art and Crafts

Don’t forget to pack your own paints or notebook and pen! Lochranza has inspired many artists and writers.

•    The Secret Garden Art Gallery

•    The Whins (up the North Newton track): Home of the Arran Stonemen and other quirky creations

•    The Old Byre Showroom (14 miles down the west coast at Dougarie)

History

•    Lochranza Castle- one of Arran’s most iconic places- situated on a wave-lashed promontory in the loch and has withstood 800 years of stormy winter gales.

•    Prehistoric hill fort, reached by a climb up from Coillemore Point.

•    The Barking House- this ruined cottage is now the subject of a play by local writer Wilma Stark, performed at the Edinburgh Festival 2012. The lower storey of this unique building flooded at high tide enabling the fishing nets to be mended.

•    The Waverley paddle steamer offers sailings from Lochranza Pier in summer

•    If you’re interested in history and geology, a good plan is to visit the Isle of Arran Heritage Museum early on in your stay. Entry is inexpensive and there is a lovely café.  You can pick an aspect of history that interests you e.g. standing stones or Celtic hill forts, find out about them at the museum and then structure your stay around visiting the various sites. Arran has borne close witness to the battles for power in  Scotland through the centuries and its history encapsulates Scottish history in miniature.

Activity

•    Golf and Putting at Lochranza: an opportunity for all members of the family to take up the traditional sport of Scotland whilst enjoying the natural distractions of scenery and deer. No need to book, no dress code, clubs available for hire. Teenagers especially find it addictive.

•    Arran Adventure offer bike hire, sea kayaking, gorge walking, climbing, mountain biking and archery. See www.arranadventure.com. If you are staying with us and book a group/family activity with AAC they can collect you by minibus. They will also drop off hired bikes at the campsite.

•    Ocean Breeze Rib Tours are based at Lamlash, offering exciting rib trips to see wildlife, and also offer trips from Lochranza on request.

Climbers- have alook at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anqlNjKPzKg&feature=

Pony trekking is available at North Sannox and Blackwaterfoot

Mogabout 4 x4 offer safaris

Alternatively, just be……. and soak up the peace of this unspoilt and beautiful place

Explore

•    Rocky beaches revealing lovely sandy stretches at low tide.

•    Day trip on the Lochranza ferry to Kintyre on foot or bike. Skipness medieval Castle, beach and fish restaurant are only two miles along the coast from Claonaig ferry terminal.

•    Walk around Fairy Dell, 2hrs

•    Arran’s steep hillsides mean lots of waterfalls. And they look their best when it’s raining.

•    Other must-sees of the west coast: Machrie six ancient stone circles and King’s Caves raised beaches- both about 15 miles along the island’s scenic north-west coast, accessible by bike, car or island bus.

•    A good plan is to buy one of the many pocket short walks guides available to our varied and fascinating island.

Mountain Walking

The hills of Arran’s north west are steep and rugged but offer exciting routes with wonderful views over the west coast and islands. Be well prepared with a map, warm and waterproof gear, sturdy boots, food and drink

Know the Outdoor Access Code: leave no trace

•    Walk round Newton Point and the Cock of Arran 4-5hrs

•    Walk alongside waterfalls up to remote Loch na Davie in Glen Easan and down Glen Catacol 6hrs

•    Climb the Castles from Lochranza or North Glen Sannox- it’s Arran’s second highest mountain 8hrs

•    Loch Tanna and Fionn Coire Lochain from Catacol 5hrs

•    Beinn Bharain from Pirnmill 8 hrs

Wildlife

You can observe a lot of wildlife without leaving the campsite. Have binoculars and camera at the ready!

•    Red deer on the golf course- usually happy to pose for photographers and artists

•    Red squirrels in the trees around the golf course

•    Golden eagles above the hillsides

•    Seals and otters on Newton Shore

•    Gannets, porpoises and basking sharks in the Kilbrannan Sound

•    Unique Arran whitebeam trees in Glen Diomhan

•    Celtic rainforest mosses and lichens along the west coast

•    Geology: Hutton’s Unconformity and 250 million year old giant millipede tracks near Laggan. Find out more about island geology at the Isle of Arran Heritage museum at Brodick.

Brodick Castle National Trust Rangers offer guided walks in summer.

See www.arranwildwalks.co.uk for wildlife watching and guided mountain walks

This page concentrates on the attractions of Lochranza and its vicinity: there is much more to do on Arran.

See www.visitarran.com for information about the other parts of the island. Popular visitor attractions are:

Brodick Castle

Holy Island

Auchrannie Spa, Leisure Centre and Play Barn

Shopping at Cladach near Brodick including Arran Aromatics

See What’s On for festivals, shows and events.

Perfect Days at Lochranza Campsite
Perfect for summer holidays and spring and autumn breaks