Things to do. The West Side of the Isle of Arran

Last month we did a little blog about the Sannox area of Arran, and this month we are looking more at the west side and Blackwaterfoot area. This is often thought of as the quieter side of the island, away from the main port, but there is so much to do and see, that this is only a small selection of ideas.

Bridge at Blackwaterfoot

Blackwaterfoot is the main village on this side and boasts a fabulous long sandy beach which can be walked to Drumadoon point or beyond.  Walking southwards the beach is rockier with numerous seabirds and rock pools to explore.

Drumadoon point

Travelling north from Blackwaterfoot, less than 2 miles brings you to a car park from where the circular Kings Caves walk can be started.  The Kings Cave are a fabulous attraction for children and adults a like, with historic carvings throughout the cave - remember to bring a torch. And a short detour can be made to view a dinosaur footprint (see previous blogs).

Kings Caves

Again a little further north are the Machrie Stones and numerous ston circles.  This flat walk across farm land, to the moor is a gentle stroll and passes a couple of circles before the main standing stones are reached. Another less visited circle can be found at Auchengallon, which is slightly raised above the coast and provides beautiful views of the seashore.

Auchagallon Stone Circle

This area has two golf courses, Shiskine and Machrie. Shiskine is a 12 hole links course and Machrie a 9 hole course that is family friendly and allows dogs to accompany players,  providing they do not steal any balls!

Machrie Moor Standing Stone (one of several)

For shopping, Blackwaterfoot has a small village supplies shop, which is also the post office, the Harbour shop newsagents, the Arran Butcher and an Art gallery.  Further north at Machrie a farm track leads you to the Olde Byre for traditional and modern country clothing and wares, along with a pottery where you can 'paint your own'.

Shiskin Golf Course and Felicitys tearoom

Stopping for lunch, or just coffee and a cake is easy, with three great tearooms.  Felicitys at Blackwaterfoot (Shiskine Golf Course), Machrie Bay Tearoom (Machrie Golf course) and Cafe Thyme at the Olde Byre site. All are family friendly, with Cafe Thyme and Machrie Bay having play areas for children. And all have great views and food.

Play area at Machrie Golf Course and Tearoom

And if you fancy a swim but not in the sea, try the pool at the Kinloch which is open to the public. or how about some pony trekking.  Cairnhouse stables caters for novices and experienced riders, you can even bring your own horse and stable it there for your holiday.

Monyquil Mhor Garden and views.

Monyquil Mhor self catering farmhouse is an ideal base from which to explore this area, and is set in tranquil farmland.  The farmhouse sleeps 8 but at a price that attracts smaller families or groups.  There is a large luxury farmhouse kitchen, huge utility and two bathrooms.

Carving at Kings Cave

All images copyright to Arran in Focus photography tours and workshops.

Things to do around Sannox, Isle of Arran

North Glen Sannox with lots of waterfalls

There is plenty to do on the Isle of Arran especially for those who like wildlife and walking.  This mini blog looks at the area around Sannox and Lochranza.  Sannox is on the East coast and boasts one of the best sandy beaches and just furhter south is Corrie with some fasinating rock formations and north is Lochranza with the famous Huttons Unconformity.

Sannox beach in winter

There are numerous walks of all levels, using Sannox as a starting point. Low level gentle walks run along the coast to the fallen rocks (the remains of a 300 year old landslide), or the adventurous could go further and visit Laggan Cottage.

Coastal walk to fallen rocks

Glen Sannox gets into the mountains without being too strenuous, although a climb up to the Saddle and beyond to either Cir Mhor or North Goatfell provides a full mountain day for more experienced walkers. Or maybe you would fancy a stroll up North Glen Sannox along the river and waterfalls, looking out for deer and Golden Eagles.

Deer with Lochranza castle in background

A trip into Lochranza with its distillary, golf course, ruined castle and numerous deer can easily occupy everyone even on a rainy day. And there are several places to eat, including the Stags Pavillion.  Lochranza is also home to the stone-men, which can be found at Whins cottage on a walk around the Cock of Arran.

Stag in Lochranza

Sannox and Corrie also have their own golf course with a lovely little tearoom that is open all year round and serves a lovely lunch.

Glen Sannox a lovely valley walk or route to the mountains

For those who want to go pony trekking or riding, the North Sannox trekking centre caters for all levels and will even do very short trips for small children.

A trip to the distillary is a must!

A list of walks and routes can be found on this informative site. And there are plenty of other things for you to discover and explore on your own.

Bridge at the car park of North Glen Sannox in winter

Arran Island Cottages has the lovely Garden Cottage (sleeps 4), right by the golf course at Sannox, with beautiful walled garden and mountain views.  It's a great base from which to explore this area.

Garden Cottage 

All images copyright to Arran in Focus photography tours and workshops.

East and West luxury lodges - Will they be ready for Easter?

Pen drawing of East Lodge

The start of April is our target date and the new East and West lodges are progressing well, despite the setbacks with torrential rain.

Kitchens also have dishwashers as standard

Still a bit of finishing to do, but the kitchen is fitted

We managed to get the electricity connected in mid December so the underfloor heated got its first test and everything works beautifully.  Some of the workmen realised they could dry out wet clothing by laying it on the floor!

Luxury bathroom with underfloor heating and spa shower

Once everything was checked the floors could be finished and it was on with fitting the bathrooms and kitchens - these are the same in both lodges and have luxury fitments.  The kitchens include dishwashers and the bathrooms luxury spa showers.

Interiors are again being discussed and the current favourite is a stripe or check by Ian Mankin interiors. although we love the name of the Arran Charcoal, it's a little dark for our interiors.







Outside the block paving has started and quickly transforms the path from a building site to a finished product. The landscaping is next for the shared front and the enclosed rear gardens.  We have not decided yet whether to turf or flag - or combine both.

Ensuring the outside will be as good as the inside with solid black pavement

 We are definitely on target and should be putting the furniture and soft furnishings in by the end of February.

Dinosaurs on the Isle of Arran

The Isle of Arran is well known for being called Scotland in Miniature but miniature is not what some of its previous inhabitants could be called!

The coast at Cleats Shore showing stone dykes and slabs.

The rocks and stones around the island provide a wonderful insight into the past which includes dinosaurs.  The geology has been well studied by scientists due to the geological findings known now as Huttons Unconformity and the first dinosaur footprints were discovered in the last 10 years at various locations around the island. It probably should be said that the island would still have been part of the mainland during this era of around 230 million years ago.

The large footprint near Kings Caves

Some of the reptile like creatures were likely to have been similar to large komodo lizards or crocodiles and were around 12 foot long with hand like feet. The first acknowledged footprint found is between Drumadoon point and Kings Caves.  This footprint is set back from the beach but can easily be found on a well trodden boggy path.  Due to rock movement the print is upright above the stream.

One of the slabs at Cleats shore with a clear track

However, more prints that form a track can be found on Cleats Shore.  What can be seen depend on weather and the amount of seaweed deposits vary throughout the year.  Puddles of seawater left in the indentations assist with spotting the tracks. Over 100 track ways have been recorded on Arran but that is not to say there aren't some still to find.

Water in the tracks makes them easier to spot

Other tracks of a giant millipede can be found at the Cock of Arran and these formed part of a documentary by SirDavid Attenborough and can be viewed on this link.

Our nearest holiday properties to the footprints on Cleats Shore are Torrlinn Beach House and Kilbride Farmhouse.

Kennels change direction into East and West Lodge

The kennels get a makeover

Sitting at the side of Castle  Lodge, on the private drive to the Castle, are the extensive kennels and stable areas which used to service BrodickCastle on the Isle of Arran.

The old stable buildings

These kennels are about 100 years old and accommodated approximately 40 pointer dogs, which were used during the grouse season. Annually around 1400 grouse were shot until about 30 years ago when numbers declined and shoots moved to pheasant which became more popular.

Old plaster and timber - All to be removed

The kennels and stable areas have not been used for many years, becoming a redundant store area and falling into disrepair.  Like many older buildings they have some lovely architectural features and details, along with the not so lovely crumbling lath and plaster.

Kennel yard needs clearing

Cleared of weeds

 After much planning it was decided to restore these buildings into two luxury holiday cottages and so the work began.

First all the planning, architectural drawings, costings, planning applications and all the administration that goes with it.

Out with the old drainage systems

In with new air conditioning

Followed by totally gutting the buildings to remove all the old and rotten wood, plaster, pipe work and grunge.

Plastering, electrics, windows and doors, all replaced.

Then the rebuild could begin in earnest.  Drains, electrics, plumbing, plastering, roofing, windows and doors.  Some days it seemed like it would have been easier to raise the whole lot to the ground and start afresh. 

Keeping features such as the horse ties

Underfloor heating

But it quickly came together and the snaking lines of under floor heating were laid, and kitchens started to be fitted.

New kitchen going in

New bathroom being fitted

The interior design is the next major element and samples were obtained and colour schemes planned.  Laura Ashley seems to be the favourite and is in keeping with the luxury that we are trying to achieve, and full interior pictures will be posted soon. (Link to Laura Ashley website here).

Starting on the interior design

Laura Ashley fabrics

Back in the heyday of Brodick Castle the head gamekeeper enjoyed the benefits of living at Castle Lodge which is a fabulous house, to be near all the animals he managed.  Several years ago Castle Lodge was renovated to a luxury standard and is also available for holiday letting.

Bookings are being taken for all the properties and links are below.

The East lodge will sleep 4

The west lodge will sleep 2

Castle lodge sleeps 10

Laura Ashley wallpapers

All images courtesy of Arran in Focus

Test driving our blog!

So here’s our introductory blog, more of a bit of a test drive really and a bit of history (600 years condensed into a couple of lines).  We are Arran Island Cottages, and are part of the Sannox Estate – although it’s not quite that simple.

Views of Arran

The Sannox Estate, owned by Charles Fforde was originally encompassed within Arran Estates, owned by Lady Jean Fforde, but parts of this had to be sold to cover death duties and other taxes and estate management costs over the years.  Different areas of Arran Estates were sold, passed onto family or put into trust. So now the main landholders on Arran include not only Arran Estates but the Sannox Estate, Dougarie Estate, Forestry commission and NTS.

Charles Fforde

There are close family ties between Arran Estates, the Sannox Estate and Arran Island Cottages.

The family are traced back to the Hamiltons when the majority of Arran was acquired between 1455 – 1503. Feuding was common, and the Hamiltons feuded with the Stewarts, who burnt Brodick Castle down in 1526! Disputes ranged for another 100 years, and at one time the Hamiltons lost control of Brodick Castle and Arran for about 20 years. However, a marriage and payment of ‘fines’, found the situation resolved. The land around Lochranza, Machrie and Catacol came under the Hamiltons in the 1700’s and a degree of stability fell around the island.

Brodick Castle

Tourism, if it could be called that, was boosted by sailings of the ‘Helensburgh’ steamboat, which sailed from Greenock via Rothsay and returned via Millport.  But one of the most harrowing parts of Arran history is not about those who came but those who went.  The clearances in the around 1829 saw many islanders leaving from Lamlash port, not always willingly to emigrate to Canada. The journey took 2 months and there are still close ties to Canada now.

Other snippets include the first police officer to Arran who arrived in 1863, well before the first recorded murder in 1889.

Rugged coastline

Technology arrived by way of a telephone line between Brodick Castle and Dougarie Lodge in 1913.

In 1933 electricity arrived for the masses, first being installed in Brodick.

Views from the Castles - a frequently visited spot for mountain rescue

1953 saw the first car ferry and the increase in visitors saw the formation of the Arran Mountain Rescue Team in 1964.  The first team leader was the Arran Estate head forester – Alastair Douglas.

Photographs courtesy of Arran in Focus.