Arran Coastal Way - 8 Days & 7 Nights

8 Days & 7 Nights 4.5 Read 36 reviews

Immerse yourself in island life on Arran - 'Scotland in miniature'
Spot basking seals and perhaps glimpse a majestic golden eagle
Enjoy panoramic views on the high route option from the summit of Goat Fell, Arran's highest mountain
Discover the historic cave paintings in King's Cave
Stop off at Lochranza Distillery - why not take a tour and have a wee dram?

The Arran Coastal Way encircles one of Scotland’s most famous islands often described as Scotland in miniature. A wonderfully varied walk where you can walk along beautiful beaches, choose to come inland briefly to climb Goat Fell for spectacular views to the mainland and visit the King's Cave. A scenic 1 hour ferry crossing from Ardrossan on the mainland brings you to Brodick, the hub of the island, and where you will overnight before beginning the Way. Leave the hustle and bustle of Brodick behind and journey north, perhaps electing to take the high route over Goat Fell (874 m) if the weather is good, pass through the charming village of Sannox, and onto Lochranza where the castle ruins and Arran's only distillery await. The views looking north up Loch Fyne towards the highlands are fantastic. From Lochranza, the northern tip of the island, the Way curves south hugging the west coast of the island to reach Blackwaterfoot and Lagg - a wonderful stretch of the Way with views across to the lush Kintyre peninsula. The southern tip of Arran is gently rolling and walking close to the shoreline is rewarding, but can be challenging if you choose to take the low route options which cross the tidal boulder fields between Lagg and Whiting Bay. Finally, swing north via Whiting Bay and return to Brodick for your last night. An unforgettable experience on one of Scotland’s best islands.

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What To Expect

Travel restrictions and resources, to and from any destination

Arran is a beautiful island that has an abundance of wildlife, amazing views and the feeling that you are miles away from everywhere. With its friendly locals and great food, this coastal walk is definitely one not to miss. The lack of a waymarked path makes good navigational skills essential.

Tour Type:

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveler this tour would be suitable for is: 15 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Islands
Coastal Walking

Activity Level & Terrain

This walk is graded between moderate and moderate to strenuous, depending on the itinerary you choose. You will be following the coast along forest footpaths, hillside tracks, tarmac roads with grass verges, and beaches with boulders, sand and shingle. Some of the ascents and descents are steep and can be exposed so require a good head for heights and sure-footedness in places. Depending on how long you choose to spend walking the Arran Coastal Way, daily walks can be up to 31 km / 19 miles. Due to the difficult terrain (mountains and high ground descending to a rocky shoreline and the sea), it is necessary for some of the route to follow roads, particularly on the west coast from Lochranza down to Tormore. However, these roads are usually quiet and the views out over the coastline are spectacular. The stretch of road between Brodick and Lochranza is slightly busier with tourist traffic so please observe the instructions in your route notes. We also advise that you should have a good level of fitness to get the most from this wonderful trip.

Navigation

The Arran Coastal Way is well way-marked and easy to follow with the help of the supplied route notes and GPX tracks on the Macs Adventure smartphone app.

Accommodations

We take great pride in carefully selecting the accommodations we use on the Arran Coastal Way to ensure you enjoy every minute of your stay. We work with B&B's, Guest Houses, country hotels and charming inns which are normally of 3 or 4 star standard with en-suite bathrooms. All accommodations offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food. We do recommend that you book this trip early as the area is always popular and the hotels and inns do fill up early, especially in high season. Below you will find a list of the accommodation we regularly use which will give you a good idea of the standard of accommodation we use.

Solo Walkers & Single Rooms

This trip is available to solo walkers, although a single supplement is payable.

If you require single rooms within your party we would be happy to accommodate your request, although it is not generally possible to secure more than three single rooms in a party and a single supplement is payable.

Meals

A hearty breakfast is included each morning. Most accommodations offer a continental and full cooked breakfast, which should keep you going for hours.

Lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Your accommodation will be more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival. Alternatively, your guidebook also includes details of local shops and convenient lunch stops on the way. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or in nearby pubs and restaurants.

Additional Nights

Many of our clients choose to add extra nights along the walk and these can be added at the time of booking for a supplement.

Included

7 Nights in hand-picked B&B's, guest houses & country inns
7 Breakfasts
Baggage transfer
Information pack and access to maps, route notes & GPX tracks on the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
Emergency 24/7 telephone support from our office in the event of a problem

Excluded

Travel to / from Brodick
Lunches, dinners, snacks & drinks
Travel insurance (required)
Personal equipment

Extras

Additional nights along the route

When To Go

This trip is available from March to September, to start on any day of the week.

Getting to the Start

Getting to/from Brodick on the Isle of Arran

Arran is easily accessible from Glasgow, which is one of the reasons it is so popular. From Glasgow catch the train and then ferry to reach Arran within a few hours.

By Air:

Glasgow is served by two international airports. Prestwick airport is the most convenient for Arran and is only a 30 minute taxi journey to the ferry terminal at Ardrossan (or you can take a train, changing at Kilwinning; total journey approx. 45 mins). Glasgow airport is 8 miles west of the city centre and train timetables are designed to connect to the ferry which departs from Adrossan to Broderick (train is 45 mins, ferry approx. 55 mins) or you can take a taxi which is approximately one hour from Glasgow to Ardrossan.

By Road:

Ardrossan is one hour south-east of Glasgow and there is a large secure car park at the harbour, where you can leave your car during your time on Arran (fee payable).

By Rail:

There are regular services from Glasgow Central Station to Ardrossan which connect with the ferry to Arran.

Should you be arriving into Prestwick airport you can take the train from the airport and change at Kilwinning to get to Ardrossan.

Further information will be detailed in your information pack, or you can visit www.travelinescotland.com for journey planning.

Ferry:

The Ferry which runs between Ardrossan and Brodick is operated by Caledonian MacBrayne and you will find a ferry timetable on the Calmac website.

Luggage Transfer

Daily door to door baggage transfer of one 15kg bag per person is included in the price of your trip.

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase. Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person. It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots/shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer and a day pack.

Equipment

You will need good walking shoes/boots (ideally waterproof), comfortable walking clothes, waterproof jacket and trousers, a daypack and hats/gloves etc.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity, emergency evacuation and hospital care.

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Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Brodick and Overnight Day 2 Walk to Corrie 9 miles / 14 km

On the first stage of the Arran Coastal Way there are two options; a low/coastal route and a high route which takes in Goatfell - the island's highest peak (874 m). The low route option follows the coastal road north out of town, while the inland route heads up the slopes of Goatfell.

If you are feeling energetic, we recommend the inland route as the views from the summit of Goatfell are superb in clear weather. Just remember not to underestimate the climb - you are beginning almost from sea level! From the summit it's a gentle descent largely through trees to reach the village of Corrie where the routes rejoin, and you'll follow the quiet coast road for the final few kilometres into Sannox village.

The low route avoids the long ascent up Goatfell, Arran's highest hill, a good option if the weather isn't favourable or if you'd prefer an easier day to begin the walk. The low route passes a sandy beach at the north end of Brodick Bay, skirts Brodick castle, before following forest tracks to reach the village of Corrie.

Tonight you will stay in either Lochranza or Corrie. If you stay in Lochranza you will walk to Corrie and then be transferred from Corrie to Lochranza and transferred back to Corrie the next day.

Overnight Corrie

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Corrie Hotel | Hotel

Corrie Hotel is situated in the beautiful village of Corrie, six miles from the ferry Terminal in Brodick, making it an ideal walking or cycling break away. Anne and Danny took over in 2014 and made sure to retain the Hotel's warm friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Corrie hotel now boasts a tastefully refurbished lounge bar and dining area and a popular public bar.

There is a wonderful beer Garden right on the doorstep of the shoreline with fantastic views across the Ayrshire coast where you can enjoy a pint and a bar meal. Most of our rooms have stunning sea views from which you can sometimes see Seals basking on the rocks and Otters playing on the shoreline. There is free Wi-Fi and a hearty breakfast is served each morning.

Please note there are no TVs in the rooms at this hotel.

Butt Lodge | Bed and breakfast

Situated in the mountainous north of the island, Butt House has plenty of secure equipment storage. There is a spacious lounge for guests to use with an open fire.

Lochranza Hotel | Hotel

The Lochranza Hotel stands amidst this timeless village and has a spectacular panoramic view across the bay. The hotel is traditionally decorated throughout and has a high level of service. The bar food uses the best of fresh local produce served in the style of traditional home cooked meals, and there is a great slection of malt whiskies, real ale, spirits and wine.

Day 3 Walk Corrie to Lochranza 12 miles / 18 km Day 4 Walk to Machrie & overnight in Blackwaterfoot 14 miles / 22 km Day 5 Optional bus to Machrie, or walk directly to Lagg 12 miles / 19 km

For this section of the route you can either take the bus back to Machrie and walk to Lagg from there, or walk directly to Lagg.

If you are walking from Machrie you will walk a section laden with history spanning a rather long period of time on your way to Blackwaterfoot. Firstly you can take a short detour for ~3.5 km from Machrie up to see the standing tones on Machrie Moor, a very worthwhile diversion. When back on the route the next era of history is a little more modern with the spectacular Kings Cave where Robert the Bruce is reported to have stayed on his journey to Ireland. You are then thrown back in time with Triassic dinosaur footprints and 60 million-year-old cliffs before coming to 2000 year old Doon Fort and then walking down into Blackwaterfoot.

The section between Blackwaterfoot and Lagg has some of the most difficult terrain on the whole trip and should be walked with care. The trail follows the shore to pass Preaching Cave over rocky and boggy ground before climbing up to the road and from here on it's undulating tarmac road walking with good views to Ailsa Craig, then pass the Lagg Distillery before arriving at the Lagg Hotel, one of the oldest on the island.

Overnight Blackwaterfoot

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Best Western Kinloch Hotel | Hotel

Right on the Coast Path a warm welcome awaits you at the Kinloch Hotel. The hotel boasts 37 bedrooms, Every room has a flat screen satellite television, tea/coffee making facilities, wifi and en-suite bathroom.

Blackwaterfoot Lodge | Hotel

This lovely B&B is named after the village in which it is situated in. It is nearby the harbour and the wide sandy beach. All 6 bedrooms are en-suite and have all the amenities you require for a great overnight stay. The restaurant is one of the best in the area and is highly recommended to dine here if available.

Laighbent B&B | Bed and breakfast

Laighbent B&B is modern, spacious and very comfortable and you assured the warmest of welcomes from the owner, Pat. The rooms have all one would require for a most comfortable stay, including TV, tea and coffee making facilities, hairdryer and a very restful beds.

Day 6 Lagg to Whiting Bay (low or high route options) 12 miles / 20 km

Again this section of the Arran Coastal Way is rather difficult going, as you cross several boulder fields and in the summer months the path can become overgrown. You can choose between the more challenging low route option or a slightly longer, but easier high route option.

The low route option is one of the most challenging on the Arran Coastal Way. It involves tricky scrambling over boulders to round the headlands of both Bennan Head and Dippen Head - do not underestimate the time these sections take to complete. Bennan Head is not passable at high tide and even Dippen Head can become tricky at this time so make sure you check the tide times before setting off. Either or both of headlands can be avoided by taking the alternative inland route before you reach Bennan Head.

For those wishing to avoid the difficulties of tide times and the boulder fields there is a high route alternative. This variation on the route is longer and more undulating than the lower route and heads inland on reaching Bennan Head. The final part of the route goes through forest and descends passing Glenashdale Falls on it's way into Whiting Bay.

Overnight Whiting Bay

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

The Burlington | Guest House

This house dates back from the Edwardian era, when the wealthy from Glasgow built summer villas along the west coast of Scotland and Arran. It stands in a prominent sea front position as one of a small number of similar dated properties. All rooms are spacious and en-suite and you will be guaranteed a great overnight stay. They also have a private residents lounge and spacious dining room with offer great sea views.

Arran Brewery Guesthouse | Guest House

Following renovation and refurbishment, The Arran Brewery Guest House is now open to welcome you to Arran. It is situated in Whiting Bay, one of the most beautiful locations on Arran, with fine views of Holy Isle and the Ayrshire coast across the Firth of Clyde. All rooms are en-suite with complimentary Arran Aromatics toiletries and all rooms have sea views.

Viewbank House | Guest House

This is a 19th century Victorian former farmhouse that has been tastefully converted and extended into a traditional family run guest house, whilst retaining all its original character, charm and features. From its elevated position over Whiting Bay, it enjoys superb panoramic views across the Firth of Clyde and Holy Isle to the Ayrshire coastline taking in both Troon and Turnberry on a clear day. The house has the atmosphere and feel of a small hotel where you can make yourself at home and are able to come and go as they please. You can also relax in the large TV/Piano lounge where you will find a plethora of books, board games, videos and DVDs to enjoy.

Day 7 Whiting Bay to Brodick (low or high route options) 12 miles / 20 km

On this final stage on the Arran Coastal Way between Whiting Bay and Brodick you can choose to hug the coast following the low route or take the higher route.

The high route takes you up passed Glenashadale Falls and through shady forest on higher ground with great views towards Lamlash where you join the lower route to follow shoreline around Clauchlands Point to reach Brodick and the end of the Way.

The low route keeps to the coastline as much as possible and follows paths and quiet country roads. You will pass Kingscross Point and it's viking burial ground with views over to Holy Isle. You follow the coastal boardwalks to Lamlash Bay with it's "No Take Zone" marine conservation area. On rounding Clauchlands Point you'll soon see Goatfell, Arran's highest hill, rearing it's head as you walk towards the end point of the trail in Brodick.

Overnight Brodick

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Dunvegan Guest House | Guest House

Dunvegan House is situated within the picturesque village of Brodick on Arran. It is a traditional sandstone building that has been tastefully renovated and decorated throughout to create a spacious four star licensed guest house that offers superb accommodation. The house has nine rooms, eight of which are fully en-suite and the ninth having private facilities and all are beautifully furnished and decorated to the highest standard and include colour TV, Radio/alarm clock and hospitality tray.

Belvedere Guest House | Guest House

Belvedere is a three-star, privately-run guest house. It is appropriately named, enjoying a picture postcard view across Brodick Bay towards Goat Fell, the tallest mountain on the Isle of Arran. Accommodation is comfortable, yet informal. All rooms have H&C or en suite amenities, electric blankets, tea/coffee making facilities, hair dryers, TV, radio and free Wi-Fi internet access.

Ormidale Hotel | Hotel

This hotel is a lively pub with 7 bedrooms and is famous on the island for its home cooked bar meals and real ale. All rooms are en-suite and have a TV, WIFI and hospitality tray. The hotel has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and has a great beer garden for those sunny evenings.

Day 8 Onward Travel