Argyll - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 106

buses circle the island (Brodick tourist o ce has time-
tables) while the Arran Day Rider (£5.40) allows you to

hop on and off as you please. Buses also link in with the
two ferry services.

1

Brodick and around
Although the resort of BRODICK (from the Norse breidr vik , “broad bay”) is a place of
only moderate charm, it does at least have a grand setting in a wide, sandy bay set against
a backdrop of granite mountains. Its development as a tourist resort was held back for a
long time by its elitist owners, the dukes of Hamilton, though nowadays, as the island's
capital and main communication hub, Brodick is by far the busiest town on Arran.
Brodick's shops and guesthouses are spread out along the south side of the bay, along
with the tourist office and the CalMac pier. Its tourist sights, meanwhile, are clustered
on the west and north side of the bay, a couple of miles from the ferry terminal.

Arran Heritage Museum
Rosaburn • April-Oct daily 10.30am-4.30pm • £3 • T 01770 302636, W arranmuseum.co.uk
Up along the road to the castle, the intermittently interesting Arran Heritage Museum is
housed in a whitewashed eighteenth-century crofter's farm, and contains an old smiddy
and a cutesy Victorian cottage with box bed and range. In the old stables, the main
exhibition considers the island's intriguing geological and archeological heritage - the
most notable exhibit is an incredibly well preserved, early Bronze Age cist grave, complete
with intact food vessel, while another section recalls the island's prominent wartime role,
as testified by the dozen or so air crashes here during the course of World War II.

Arran Visitor Centre
Home Farm • Arran Aromatics Daily 9.30am-6pm; factory tours June-Sept Thurs at 6pm • Free • T 01770 303003, W arranaromatics
.com Island Cheese Company Daily 9.30am-6pm • T 01770 302788, W arranscheeseshop.co.uk
he Arran Visitor Centre , half a mile or so up the road from the heritage museum,
incorporates a couple of superb outlets, foremost of which is Arran Aromatics ,
producers of luxury toiletries and fragrances. As well as the opportunity to participate
in natural soapmaking, the outlet offers factory tours in the summer months. At the
Island Cheese Company , you can see the soft, creamy Crofter's Crowdie or the piquant
Arran Blue cheese being made. Here too is Creelers smokehouse, the island's finest
restaurant (see p.110).

Brodick Castle
Two miles north of Brodick • Castle Daily April-Sept 11am-4pm; Oct 11am-3pm • £12; NTS Gardens Daily 9.30am-dusk • £6.50; NTS •
T 0844 493 2152
Former seat of the dukes of Hamilton, Brodick Castle is set on a steep bank on the
north side of Brodick Bay. The bulk of the castle was built in the nineteenth century,
giving it a domestic rather than military look, and although the interior is decidedly
dour in tone, there are a few gems to look out for. Don't miss the portrait of the
eleventh duke's faithful piper, who injured his throat on a grouse bone, was warned
never to pipe again, but did so and died, while there are also a handful of sketches by
Gainsborough in the boudoir. Probably the most atmospheric room is the copper-filled
Victorian kitchen , which conjures up a vision of the sweating labour required to feed
the folk upstairs.

ARRAN GOLF PASS
The Arran Golf Pass ( W golfonarran.com) currently costs £99, which is remarkable value given
that it entitles you to a round on each of the island's seven courses: three 18-hole and three
9-hole courses, as well as the superb 12-hole course at Shiskine. You can buy the pass online or
at any of the seven clubs.