Arran has slipped under our radar for long enough now so a short trip was planned for the last weekend in September. I can't say I was really excited about visiting as for some reason I had written it off years ago. It's in the middle of the Clyde and only a short ferry crossing from the mass population of Glasgow.
Reflecting on this trip I'm now torn as to what to say about the Island. Do I just bung a few pictures of kayaks up and say it was "nice"?, or do I come clean and admit that Arran is right up there with some of the most beautiful locations on the West Coast of Scotland....
As a venue for sea kayaking it ticks a lot of boxes. For us the journey time was just over three and half hours and that included the ferry crossing from Ardrossan. Of course you don't need to take the ferry over, a quick Island hop via Bute would break up the crossing nicely.
We were there primarily for a weekends paddling and a look round as much of the Island as we could cram in. Brian had other things on his mind. A circumnavigation of the Island by sea kayak has been done many times but times quoted vary from two to four days. Brian's idea was to record a time measured in hours rather than days. Just over 85km paddling with wind and tide to take into account in late September, when the day light hours are getting limited, was going to be a serious undertaking.
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| Looking back at the mountains from Glen Sannox |
Brian set off on his clockwise loop at 7.00 am into a light breeze from the East just as the sun was appearing above the horizon.
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| Picture by Brian Turnbull, Heading East round the Cock of Arran. |
After a brief encounter with an inquisitive Otter he was graced by the presence of a passing Basking Shark as he rounded the top corner on the long Southerly leg.
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| Picture by Brian Turnbull, Basking Shark off Sannox. |
Early morning light looking back towards the Mainland..
Leaving Brian to battle on we decided to head down to Blackwaterfoot on the SW corner of the Island. A lovely little village with everything you would want for a launch site.
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| Blackwaterfoot launch site. Toilets, free carpark, fresh water rinse and a bakers shop... |
This one really is the Carlsberg of put in's... There's a great little bakery which supplies the hotel with freshly baked bread each day. After a visit in there to fill our lunch boxes we got onto the water and headed South to meet Brian coming towards us. He was making great time, passing us just South of Lagg. Unaware at this stage what lay ahead of him.
We pottered for a while wildlife spotting before heading back to our cars. Arran really is a gem for wildlife. That morning we encountered a red throated diver, Mergansers galore and were followed by seals at every outcrop.
Looking South towards Ailsa Craig and the Island of Pladda.
By now the wind had freshened and not from the South East as predicted. It was blowing down Killbrannan Sound and hampering Brian's progress North.
After a long hard slog North he finally completed the loop. Exhausted and battered by the wind for the final 20km he completed the 85km challenge in a very respectable 10 hours and 10 minutes. Unfortunately all the freshly baked pies and scones we bought that morning had mysteriously disappeared, he had to settle for some water and a rich tea biscuit.....
Brooding skies as we looked back down Killbrannen Sound.
That night we made camp at Sannox and relaxed after a hard day paddling, and eating pies..
We managed another couple of trips over the weekend. A short trip along the rugged North Coast to the Cock of Arran. We looked for Basking Sharks that were spotted from our camp site the previous night but the choppy conditions made it difficult to see them. We saw red deer on the cliffs and Otters playing in the chop in the bays. We pulled ashore to visited the old bothy at Laggan.
We also had a nice trip form Clauchlands to Dippin Head taking in the beautiful Holy Island and returning back through Lamlash Bay. A dreich day this one, the Holy Island moody under the low cloud. The Island is now the home to a group of Buddhists. Saanen Goats forage among the sea weed on it's shores while the herds of Eriskay Ponies graze the grassy slopes under the cliffs. There's also a flock of Soay sheep roaming free on the Island. All these animals are free to roam and are left alone without any human intervention.
The crystal clear waters of Lamlash bay are alive with sealife. It's very shallow and you find yourself mesmerised with all the activity under the kayak
Rounding Pillar Rock point on Holy Island, promise in the distance of clearing weather.
Saanen Goats supplementing their diet with sea weed.
Eriskay Ponies, running wild and free but not afraid of humans. they just wander off if approached.
A great wee trip and one which I plan to repeat soon. Red Squirrels and Red deer pretty much guaranteed. Basking Sharks and Otters if your lucky. The mountains with Goatfell as a centre piece in every view. A real gem of a venue.
Some of the occupants are even willing models....
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| Mind if I take your picture? |
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| Cheers Mate ! |
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| Don't jump, we love Ewe.... |
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| Brian's loop with the stats on time and distance |
