Walking in the Isle of Arran: Low-Level Walks to High Mountain Ranges (Cicerone British Mountains S.) (Cicerone Guides)

The Isle of Arran rises proudly from the Firth of Clyde between Ayrshire and Kintyre. With its jagged granite peaks to the north, sprawling moorlands and forests to the south, and rugged coastline, the island is often referred to as 'Scotland in miniature'. Its mountainous form dominates the open waters of the Clyde and its jagged peaks present a great challenge to walkers. Walking on the Isle of Arran offers everything from gentle forest trails to arduous mountain scrambles, and walkers will delight in visiting waterfalls, watching wildlife, marvelling at ancient standing stones and enjoying spectacular views. The 45 walks in this guidebook include a few easy, waymarked forest trails and low-level walks, as well as a dozen or so moderate glen or hill walks. The rest require more effort to complete, heading for higher mountains and sometimes involving hands-on scrambling. The routes are sometimes along roads or clear forest tracks, sometimes along hill tracks or paths, but they may also cross pathless slopes and traverse rocky mountain ridges. The more off the beaten track the walker wanders, the more care needs o be exercised. Bouldery slopes or tussocky moorlands - places where an ankle is easily turned - are indicated in advance. Steep, rocky scrambles requiring the use of hands are also noted, so cautious walkers can decide whether or not to proceed. All 45 of the walks have been chosen to show off the rich variety of landscape types on the Isle of Arran. They seek both popular and secluded spots, wander along the coast or aim for the heights, taking in wide-ranging views, or searching carefully for some hidden heritage detail. Longer routes criss-crossing the island can be pieced together using portions of the route descriptions. Many of the walks in this guide overlap, or have sections in common, so that it is easy to extend or shorten many of the routes. A few of the walks are linear, and there is plenty of scope for walkers to create longer linear walks by simply linking together adjoining route descriptions. For the coastal route around Arran see The Ayrshire and Arran Coastal Paths