The Isle of Arran or, simply, Arran, is situated in the Firth of Clyde near Glasgow (in south-western part of Scotland). The island has approximately 5,000 inhabitans and measure around 167 square miles (433 km2) in area being the seventh largest island in Scotland. The Isle of Arran offers tourists a compact island with similar geology of mainland Scotland, for this reason it is often called ‘Scotland in Miniature’. The island is cut in half by the Highland Boundary Fault, a geological division which makes the northern half mountainous and sparsely populated, whereas the south is flatter and more populated. Due to its location between Ayrshire and Kintyre and close to Glasgow, Arran is an easily accessible destination for tourists.
The most popular settlement in Arran is Lamlash where you can find an important golf club and some beaches (mostly stony). You can also rent boats (2 hours at £20/30) to go fishing or have a view at Lamlash Bay. Another famous village is Brodick where is located the ferry port connected to Ardrossan on the mainland. Here you can find a golf club which offers also lessons for beginners and public swimming facilities at Auchrannie Spa Resort. In Brodick there are also Car and Bike hire if you want to go around and the majority of hotels and guest houses if you plan to spend your stay at Arran. Brodick Castle (open to the public seven days a week) is undoubtedly Arran’s most photogenic site.
In Lochranza you can visit a ruined 16th Century reconstruction of an earlier castle and whisky distillery. You can find the Lochranza Youth Hostel and a campsite with 18 Hole Golf Course. Lochranza is connected by boat to Claonaig on the mainland. For golf lovers in Blackwaterfoot there is the Shiskine Golf and Tennis Club which ranked 99th in the World’s Top 100 Golf Courses.
As stated before, the Isle of Arran can be easily reached by boat from mainland Scotland. Then here you can simply hire a car, a motorcycle or a bike to travel around the island.
