10 minutes away

• North Glen Sannox, where a meandering burn tumbles down waterfalls and pools between rocks of important geological significance. It’s a great hour-long walk up and down, or you can extend the route into a day hike and climb to Caisteal Abheil, or The Castles – the most northerly of Arran's Corbetts, its ridgeline makes up the iconic Sleeping Warrior Skyline.
• Catacol and its famous 12 Apostles with uniquely shaped windows, plus a gorgeous white pebble beach for summer’s evening barbecues.

20 minutes away 

• Pirnmill, where you’ll find one of the island’s loveliest golden sand beaches. There’s also a well-stocked grocery store selling a wide range of local produce and the excellent family-run restaurant The Lighthouse.
• Corrie – the starting point for our preferred route up Goatfell, as well as home to excellent seafood restaurant and takeaway Mara and The Wee Bookshop, which stocks titles on Arran, the outdoors and walking.

30 minutes away

• Brodick, with the widest range of shops and restaurants on the island; Brodick Castle, seat of the Dukes of Hamilton with extraordinary gardens; Auchrannie Resort, which has a nice swimming pool and soft play; and the ferry connection to Ardrossan. The Arran Heritage Museum, on the left as you come into Brodick, contains fascinating artefacts from Arran’s villages and it's the home of Café Rosaburn, serving some of the best cake on the island.
• Kintyre Peninsula (via the MV Catriona from Lochranza) – a brilliant day trip. Take the ferry to Claonaig and walk or cycle the two miles to 13th-century Skipness Castle, Skipness Smokehouse, and the Seafood Cabin.
• COAST: about 10 minutes beyond Brodick, on the seafront in Lamlash, you'll find the COAST (Community of Arran Seabed Trust) Discovery Centre with interesting exhibits about our oceans. The organisation is committed to conserving and restoring the seas around Arran and the Clyde. They have also collaborated with the Scottish Wildlife Trust to create a Snorkel Trail around the Isle of Arran.