The Isle of Arran in May 2027

Duration - 5 Days

2 GOATS

Price - £1,250

Wed 12 May 2027 - Sun 16 May 2027

4 nights / 5 days

WalkingWomen is adding more and more Scottish Islands to our holiday programme. We love them and we are sure you will to. Arran is a favourite and we return again and again - this year Jo has added a new walk for those who may want to come back.

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Summary

Dates: Tuesday May 11th to Sunday May 16th 6 days/ 5 nights and 4 full days of walking

Guide: Jo Bird

Walking Grade: 2 Goats with walks between 5-8 miles. There are some hills which will be walked at a very steady pace with time to admire the views. We will be taking footpaths which can be uneven, but generally easy terrain to navigate.

Maximum elevation: 350 metres

Terrain: Good firm paths – beach,woods and the mountainous north

Maximum distance: 7.5 miles/12 km

Base: Dunvegan House Guest House, Brodick Bay – just a short walk from the ferry terminal.

Arrival: for a 15:00 check in and an orientation walk. Briefing with your guide will be around 18:00 before dinner together at 19:00ish.

Departure: Your guide will be available in the morning to assist with departures and perhaps for a final wander along Brodick’s lovely shoreline. Departure to suit your own travel plans.

Getting there – We recommend the CalMac ferry for Arran which leaves from Ardrossan and arrives in Brodick. It takes approximately 55 minutes. The trains run from Glasgow central station so connect easily with services from London and other major cities. Cars can be parked at the ports. Foot passengers have little difficulty obtaining tickets on these large ferries, but if you plan to take your car you must ensure that you book well in advance.

Scotland has a new electric bus service which is a cheap,sustainable way to travel around the country if you want to explore more Ember Electric Buses

Price: £1,250 per person for a fully inclusive holiday once you arrive:

Solo occupancy room in ensuite accommodation.
All Breakfasts at the Dungavegen hotel
Packed lunches on 5 days
All evening meals together
Experienced guiding throughout
Local travel required for walks

Rooms are twins or double for solo occupancy or can be shared if you bring a partner/friend. £150 discount per person. We will adjust your invoice once you have paid your deposit.

Not included:

Travel to Arran
Drinks not included above

Details

We feel it is impossible to get bored of the Isle of Arran, the scenery is stunning and incredibly varied, and there are walks for everyone – gentle strolls to intrepid mountain climbs!

We stay at the cosy Dunvegan House Guest House in Brodick Bay, just a short walk from the ferry terminal. The guest house has fabulous sea views over Brodick Bay and the dramatic mountain ridge of Goatfell. WalkingWomen have been using Dunvegan House for several years and it is always a popular place to stay. Brodick has the bus terminal for the island, has a number of shops and the main supermarket for the island too.

The Isle of Arran is the most accessible of the Scottish islands, being the most southerly and having a relatively large population.

The Isle of Arran has a little of everything – a high and dramatic mountain range, gentle fields, woodlands, beaches and lovely seascapes. It is also a great place to see wildlife such as golden eagles, otters, seals and red squirrels, though sightings can never be guaranteed! There is a good bus network which we will use to see various different places – from wild Lochranza with its castle ruins and distillery, Lamlash with its views out to Holy Island, the beautiful beach of Kildonan where seals are often basking on the rocks, and to Brodick Castle gardens.

The walks will be taken at a leisurely pace so there is plenty of time to admire the views and visit some local cafes!

Itinerary

The aim of the holiday is to have lovely walks whilst also exploring 4 beautiful areas of Arran. The itinerary may need to change to take into account the variables of weather, tides and the needs of the group. The order of walks may also change! Do bring lightweight binoculars if you have them, just in case we see interesting wildlife.

ARRIVAL DAY – Check in at 15:00 at your hotel. Your Guide will be around from late afternoon and will meet everyone at Dungaven House for a briefing at 18:00, followed by your welcome dinner together in a local restaurant.

Brodick is very pleasant to wander around, take in the sights and to explore the various shops including the very good outdoor clothing shop which is on the front.

WALK 1 – Fishermans Walk and Brodick Castle grounds. We will walk along the shoreline of Brodick Bay to Cladach and then inland through the beautiful grounds of Brodick Castle. We will look out for red squirrels (tho they are elusive!) and then make our way back towards Brodick. This is a gentle start to the holiday although there is a short but steepish footpath within the castle grounds to see a pretty waterfall. 9k/5.5m; 200m ascent

WALK 2 – Brodick to Lamlash via Claughlands Hills. This is a fine walk from Brodick up through woods to a viewing point of Goatfell, then across the road to walk along the Claughlands Hills path to the Dun Fionn hill fort from where there are great views over Lamlash Bay to Holy Island. We then descend down to Lamlash for some refreshments and a bus back to Brodick. 7.5m/12k; 350m ascent

WALK 3 – Machrie Moor and Kings Cave – we travel to the west of the island to walk 2km on to the moor to explore the atmospheric stone circles and dramatic standing stones. We then walk to the coastal path and find the Kings Cave, famous for its ancient carvings associated with Robert the Bruce(1306) We follow the coastal path southwards to reach the small village of Blackwaterfoot. A chance for a refreshment before the bus back to Brodick. 7.5 miles/12 km 170m ascent

WALK 4 – Lochranza Castle – We use transport to travel to the wild and mountainous north of the island, it’s a super journey with views of the coast and the goatfell mountains. We will briefly go into the ruins of the small ancient castle and then walk around Lochranza Bay on quiet lanes. We then follow the coastal path north-east round Newton Point to the Fairy Dell and then turn briefly inland climbing a short but steep ascent and walk back along The Whins. We follow the path up Glen Chalmadale for a short way before joining the road and descending to the whisky distillery for refreshments, possible sightings of golden eagles and the bus back to Brodick! 6m/10k; 200m ascent

Day 5 – Departure Your guide will be available in the morning to assist with departures and perhaps for a final wander along Brodick’s lovely shoreline. Departure to suit your own travel plans.

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