Arran part 2

Our second day on Arran we drove right around the island. There is one road that goes right around the whole island and one that cuts across the middle, although it was while we were there anyway.

First stop was Lamlash, the biggest town on the island. It looks out over Holy Isle which is now home to a Tibetan Buddhist retreat & monastery. It was really pretty there

And I was able to feed my obsession with boats. I don’t especially like being IN small boats, just looking at them it would seem!

Whiting Bay was next stop but not that impressed with it really. Then Kildonan which had a nice beach and finally stopped for our picnic lunch here at Blackwaterfoot. I loved the wee dinky harbour and you can see over to the Mull of Kintyre

We then headed to Kings Caves.. Bit of a trek really from the Blackwaterfoot golf course and we saw these weird rocks on the beach. Piles and piles of them just in this one spot so I guess some kids must have had too much time on their hands!!

This was the caves. My mum’s reaction [due to the trek more than the actual caves] was “is this it?! lets go back…”  I’m sure Robert the Bruce never was anywhere near them anyway. He must have seen a LOT of spiders in a LOT of caves with the number of places that lay that claim!

Spotted! in more ways than one.. We had been told that the north end of the island has a sizeable deer population. I was a bit worried that one would jump out in front of our car or something [thats happened to me twice here in Ayrshire on the same road, and I nearly died of fright] but wasn’t really expecting to see one on the beach.

Last stop before heading back to Brodick was Lochranza which was definitely the most picturesque, I loved it there. And it seemed so quiet & peaceful too. Being in the very north it has the backdrop of the “highland” mountains that the south of the island doesn’t have.. And more boats!! 

The houses are just all strung out like this around the bay..

And finally me and my parentals at Lochranza castle. I can’t remember the last time I got a picture of all 3 of us together. I like it but I think I’ll be pinning it to my fridge since i look like an elephant & clearly need to be discouraged from reaching for anything naughty!! I went to a zumba class last night for the first time so at least I am trying :)