About Arran
Where is Arran?
The Isle of Arran (Scots Gaelic: Eilean Arainn) is located off the South West coast of Scotland and is the largest of a group of islands that lie between the Clyde Estuary and the Irish Sea. It is an area of great natural beauty with lochs, waterfalls, long sandy beaches and mountains that sweep down to the sea.
To the north are the islands of Bute and the Cumbries, and beyond that the highland peaks of Ben Lomond and The Cobbler. To the east are the rolling hills of Ayrshire and in the west the rugged Mull of Kintyre. Within its length of 30 miles (48 km) and breadth of 10 miles (16 km), Arran contains all of these landscapes, from the mountains in the north and to the rich farmlands in the south, Arran is correctly called 'Scotland in Miniature'.
Health Warning: Arran can be addictive and all visitors should remain vigilant lest they succumb to a serious attack of Arran-itis. Symptoms start with a mild feeling of well-being which can develop into extended periods of euphoria in extreme cases. This condition can impact locals and visitors alike and there are several well documented cases of people deciding to stay on the island permanently, two hours after stepping off the boat.
This condition has attracted people to Arran for the past 5000 years and although I personally have not met any of these original residents I have met someone who has. So, if you decide to visit us, tread carefully and avoid strong drink for the first 24 hours as this will significantly increase the chances of catching the malady.
Getting to Arran
In order to get to Isle of Arran, you have to get a ferry. From the mainland port of Ardrossan, the ferry will travel to the port of Brodick, on the Isle of Arran. Ferry services are operated by CalMac (Caledonian MacBrayne) and the journey takes approximately an hour, prices and timetables can be found on the CalMac (www.calmac.co.uk/arran) web site.
By Air: The nearest airports to Ardrossan are (Glasgow) Prestwick Airport which is 18 miles (26 km) away and Glasgow International Airport is 25 miles (40 km) from Ardrossan. Rail and road connections exist which allow you to travel from these airports to the port of Ardrossan.
By Car:
From Glasgow - The journey from Glasgow City Centre, will be 33 miles (53 km) if following signs for 'Irvine' on the A737 . The distance will be 50 miles (80 km) if following signs for 'Kilmarnock' on the M77 > A77 and then 'Irvine' on the A71 . The journey time for both routes to Ardrossan should be around 1 hour.
From The North - From Inverness, the journey will be either 190 miles (306 km) if using the A82 or 205 miles (330 km) if using the A9 . The journey time to Ardrossan should be between 3?to 4 hours. From Aberdeen, the journey will be 190 miles (306 km) and the journey time to Ardrossan should be around 3?hours.
From The South - Follow signs for 'The North' or 'Scotland' on the M6 > A74(M) > M74 and exit at Junction 12, then follow signs for 'Ayr' on the A70 , then 'Kilmarnock' on the A76 , then 'Irvine' on the A71 , then follow signs for the Ferry. A journey from Carlisle, will be approximately 115 miles (185 km) and it should take around 2 hours to get to Ardrossan.
SatNav Users
KA22 8DA - Postcode for Ferry Terminal in Ardrossan
KA27 8AJ - Postcode for the Shorehouse
Driving directions can be found from the AA (www.theaa.com) or RAC (www.rac.co.uk) web sites.
By Bus: Stagecoach operates several services to Ardrossan. The fastest are the Express services (X35/37 or X44) that travel from Glasgow's Buchanan Bus Station to Ardrossan, more information can be found on the Stagecoach West Scotland web site located at: www.stagecoachbus.com.
By Rail: Regular train services are operated by ScotRail and depart from Glasgow Central to Ardrossan Harbour, the journey normally takes less than an hour, more information can be found on the ScotRail web site located at: www.scotrail.co.uk.
Who is Arran for?
Arran is for people who like one or more of the following: The Scottish Islands, sandy beaches, open space, fresh air, mountains, climbing, walking, golfing, sailing, fishing, water skiing, cycling, quad biking, pony trekking, geology, archaeology and history.
In addition, we have found people who enjoy good food and drink or who can relax with a good book and a great view are partial to Arran.
Who is Arran not for?
Arran is not for people who want the following primary attributes from a holiday: department stores, guaranteed sunshine and night clubs, although the disco at The Dale and the ceilidh at the Brodick Community Centre have been known to create a bit of a local stir.