The Islanders' Reports. Part Two.

Arran File Two:

Friday 18^th April.

Activity: Beinn Bhreac and Beinn Tarsuinn. Parked at Catacol and climbed immediately up a steepish bank. Made a minor detour to the subsidiary summit of Meall nan Leac Sleamhuinn. Bit of a daft idea as no better views afforded. Had to drop down back to the beautiful little tarn or lochan to continue the route. Up another steep bank to Meall nan Damh before we descended again! Another little lochan was passed before reaching the ridge of Beinn Bhreac. We lunched at the end of the ridge where the paths dropped steeply down to Loch Tanna. The descent to the loch was steep and the views along it back to Meall nan Damh were gorgeous. Another steep ascent awaited us as we climbed Beinn Tarsuinn. It was boggy in places and the path indistinct at times. A second luncheonette was had at the rather feeble summit. More steep descent followed needing good eyes and sense of the landscape until we picked up a clear path leading back towards Catacol.

Weather: Clear but chilly and windy.

Refreshments: Self packed lunch with hot drink, fruit, cake and chocolate. Two lunch stops made.

Incidents: Longish walk over a new set of bumps for all three of us. Although lower than Goat Fell I think we climbed more height as it was a bit like a roller coaster – up and down; up and down! There were great photo opportunities to snap the fell ridges to the east, which looked pretty scary in places. Plus the lochs and lochans were all beautiful. They looked like places that would be idea for a dip in warmer weather. We passed a couple of smallish waterfalls and some trees lying almost flat!

Evening Meal: We tried the slow cooker for a casserole, which had worked a treat when we got back in. I use one at home and persuaded Dad that getting one for the van would be a good idea. So I did.

Saturday April 20^th

Activity: Whiting Nay to Lamlash, return via Kingscross Point. We walked up to the cottage we’d stayed at last year and then along the road to Kiscadale, here we navigated to Knockenkelly. The path then took us through a plantation which, to be honest, was really dreary and we imagined would be very buggy in summer. A bonus though was another Neolithic monument hidden in the woods – four standing stones in a clearing, called Meallach’s Grave. Possibly an old chambered cairn. We crossed a bridge where we were directed to the site of a cleared village. I hadn’t realised that the clearances were this far south. Then it was peasy into Lamlash, past a waterfall, the island’s secondary school and the Indian takeaway. We bought our selves a snack at the Old Pier Tearoom. We had soup and a cake. The cakes looked so appetising, and they were! Pottered around the place for a while waiting for the tide to turn so we could make our way along the coast south to Kingscross Point and thence Whiting Bay.

Weather: Clear and sunny. Warm.

Refreshments: Hot & Cold drinks. Chocolate bars and cake. Bought meal in Lamlash.

Incidents: Walking through the wood to discover another Neolithic monument was a surprise. The tea room in Lamlash was excellent. Their cakes looked the best I have seen on the island. The one I had was brilliant. Coconut and lime. Yummy. The fish farm is a well kept secret and the views across to Holy Island are stunning. The snag is, no dogs are allowed on Holy Island! Boo Hoo. Kingscross Point has a few Viking remains, which we knew about, and would be a brilliant place to buy / build a house.

Evening Meal: Ate at the Lagg Hotel, Kilmory. We both had fish. I had the baked trout and Laura had the grilled salmon.

Extra Incident: After our meal, on the drive back to Whiting Bay, we dropped down into Kildonan and there were masses of seals again. Yaay!

Sunday April 21^st

Activity: Walk from Lochranza round the Cock of Arran to Laggan. Back over the ridge to Lochranza taking in Tor Meadhonach. We hugged the coast all the way round past Fairy Glen and the Cock of Arran. Tricky in places and boggy, too! There are some pretty awkward boulder bits past Fairy Glen. Ossian’s cave was marked on our map but we couldn’t find it. It was probably further up the hillside than we looked! There were a few ruined buildings scattered along the shore at one point and a huge grinding wheel, like the millstone grit ones scattered about the Peak District. We lunched near Laggan cottage. Up the hill after lunch was a huge mistake. Laura got a cramp and we stopped for quite a while to let pass. Luckily the route contoured across to a col shortly afterwards. The Actual path descends from this col but we went on a bearing (and line of sight) to the top of Tor Meadhonach. Great views over the Firth of Clyde, Cumbrae and the other islands further north. We used our compass to guide us down to the high level path from Fairy Glen which was a tortuous descent over tussock grass and boggy bits!

Weather: Clear, warm and sunny. (Warmest day so far of the whole holiday)

Refreshments: Packed lunch with hot & cold drinks eaten at Laggan.

Incidents: Rocky and bouldery shore after Fairy Glen - phew. A definite ankle breaker in places if you weren’t concentrating. Climb up from Laggan deceptively stiff. Detoured on a bearing to the Tor. Found an amazing little craft workshop on the track round from Fairy Dell. We had a cuppa and a bun at the little shack / kiosk opposite the Claonaig Ferry landing, after we’d picked up the car.

Evening Meal: Home cooked lamb roast with veggies.