I’m walking through Merkland Wood. It nestles against the lower southern slopes of Goatfell, and is a popular walking area, although I don’t meet anyone up here. Plenty of signposts…
…and plenty of footpaths. Most of the places mentioned do not appear on my OS map, nor on my Garmin. The Isle of Arran seems to have a whole different system of mapping, which it keeps secret!
As well as footpaths, there’s also a network of marked cycle routes. I think my hubby would enjoy it here, although the mountains might be a challenge compared to the flatness of Lincolnshire.
I planned to climb up to the top of Goatfell today. But I abandoned the idea this morning, when I woke up to rainstorms, 40 mph winds, and saw the tip of the mountain was covered in dark cloud.
Here is the route up to the peak. I know the top section would be a scramble across exposed rocks, but this stretch of path does look temptingly easy.
Although it’s sheltered down in the woods, I can hear the wind howling through the top branches of the trees. So, I decide to resist temptation. Getting blown off the mountain would be a sad end to my trip!
With my sense of adventure thwarted, I see a signpost to a cemetery. I’m intrigued, and decide to make a diversion.
It’s not far, and I soon come to a walled burial ground surrounded by iron railings. Isolated and spooky. Would make a great location for a horror movie!
Why put a graveyard in the middle of the woods? I presume it belongs to Brodick Castle, which is hidden somewhere below me. In fact, there are only three gravestones in the enclosed space. Two large ones belong to Dukes, and a third, smaller one, to a Duke’s wife.
From the entrance to the burial ground, you can’t see the wife’s grave. Her stone is small and situated below her husband’s and makes me reflect on how poorly women were viewed in the past. Even in death, women were given lower status then men.
I head back along the path to resume my walk. Love the warm glow of autumn leaves, although the colours are nowhere near as vivid as they were last year.
A weather-beaten information board tells me about the Goatfell range. I haven’t seen any deer today, just one very large bird gliding through the trees. Don’t know what it was.
My path crosses over a tarmac roadway. It’s a non-public entrance to the castle, still invisible among the trees.
Around here, I meet a couple of groups of walkers – a family, and a trio of older hikers. They’re the first people I’ve met since the two men at the beginning of the track. Shame, then, that at this moment it decides to pour with rain again.
My path continues downwards.
Luckily the rain soon passes. The path ends in a courtyard, where there’s a motley collection of craft workshops, and a pink-painted brewery which is also a pub. The brewery/pub is tempting… but I resist.
Now I’m back on the coast road. I don’t see any coastal way signs, and there is no footpath marked on my map, so I turn right and follow the road towards Brodick.
[Later, I discover I probably should have crossed straight over and picked up a footpath somewhere on the other side of the road. It would have taken me down to the shore.]
I’ve not got very far, when I spot another inviting craft complex. This is Arran Aromatics, and attached is a pottery and a café too.
I enjoy a hot meal and a pot of tea, while watching the potter at work. Actually, she’s tidying up, rather than throwing pots, but it’s a nice to sit here doing nothing while someone else is working. (Retirement is sheer joy!)
Onwards, following the road. At least there’s a pavement here.
The views to my right are impressive. Yes, that’s Goatfell. I notice the tip of the peak is now covered with cloud, and so I feel vindicated in my earlier decision not to try to climb the mountain.
A lane leads off to the left, through a golf course. Oh good. It should take me down towards the shore.
‘DANGER’ says the sign ‘TAKE CARE’. Yes, I will. At least it doesn’t tell me to watch out for flying golf balls – an impractical instruction, as by the time you see a flying golf ball, it’s probably too late!
Anyway, nobody is playing golf itoday.
I turn off the path, probably too early, following footpath signs. If I’d continued straight, I would have reached the shore. Instead I cross over Glenshurig Burn via a little bridge…
…and wonder why there’s a second footbridge further downriver. Is that where the coastal path runs? Ah well. Nearly at Brodick now.
On the other side of the water, an enterprising householder is selling duck food at 50p a bag, with an honesty box.
Further along, I discover a woodchopper with a sense of humour.
Now I’m back on the road again, feeling somewhat frustrated because I’m not walking closer to the shore.
Along this road, I meet a couple of tourists who ask me if there is a pub back the way I’ve come. They’re supposed to be meeting friends there. It’s a pink building, apparently. ‘No’ I say confidently.
They turn back and, sometime later, I feel guilty because I realise they probably meant the pink brewery/pub in the craft area.
I reach the outskirts of Brodick, walking through intermittent bursts of rain, and head down to the shore, where a couple are throwing a ball for a dog.
It’s a surprisingly pleasant beach. But, just look at those dark clouds over Goatfell. They’re coming this way.
I turn my back on the storm, and look towards the ferry port, where a ferry has just arrived. I feel a tug of sadness. Only one more day to go, and I’ll have finished the Arran Coastal Way. Shame. I love it here, and don’t want to leave.
Onwards to Brodick. A splatter of drops on my neck, and I turn to look back. The rainstorm is approaching rapidly, blown on the strong winds gusting from the north west.
I walk, through the rain, along a nice foreshore area, where a green strip of land acts as a wide promenade, and there are plenty of parking spaces. The rain soon passes, and the day ends as it began, with a glorious rainbow above Brodick.
Tomorrow, assuming the winds have died down, I’m going to walk the section of the Arran Coastal Way around the north of the island, linking Lochranza with Sannox. Then, my circuit of Arran will be complete.
Miles walked today = 9 miles
Total around Arran = 65 miles
Total distance = 3,584 miles
Route:
At least the Duchess got a gravestone of her own and isn’t just listed as “wife of”. This sort of thing interests / infuriates me too. The only time I’ve set off to climb Goatfell we had to turn back because of the weather. Not sure I’ll ever do it now. I do love Arran though, and your pictures are lovely.
Wise to turn back if the weather was treacherous. During this trip, my B&B hostess told me of a couple who were staying with them, and the man went off for a quick walk up one of the peaks near Goatfell, and never returned. He fell off a ridge and was killed. Very sad.
Oh no, how awful! I’m glad I’m cautious.
Your comment about it being too late by the time you see a flying golf ball really made me laugh 🙂
I like the foreshore at Brodick, it looks really nice. And how lovely that you ended the walk with another rainbow 🙂
Arran looks beautiful even when it’s raining!
Guess this might be your last post this year. If so, just to say how much I enjoy ‘sharing’ your epic walk. Your experiences have been really helpful when doing our own coastal walking too. Until we meet again – enjoy this first Christmas with your new grandaughter. I look forward to the next instalments.
aaah another rainbow to end the day – what a lovely symmetry
Lovely story and photos about your walk! I love Arran and recently finished the Arran Coastal Way :). You are right, if you’d continued across the road at the Cladach Visitor Centre, passing the Arran Mountain Rescue building, you would have reached the beach and walked along the Fisherman’s walk, eventually crossing the bridge you seen later. I’ve still to explore Merkland Woods so I look forward to going there too 🙂
Arran is beautiful and I loved it too. I’ve still got one more day to write up, and keep putting it off so that I still have something to look forward to!
I’ve always wanted to visit the Isle of Arran ever since I studied it in primary school. It was a favourite holiday destination for my primary school teacher so she created a whole term’s worth of geography work about the island. I think I’ll definitely have to make a visit across when I get to that part of Scotland and do the Arran Coastal Way while I’m there. It looks absolutely stunning!
It’s certainly worth a visit. I’m sad to have finished the Coastal Way. Main problem was finding somewhere to stay. Arran is popular!
Looks beautiful! 🙂
It’s a lovely island 🙂
looking forward to you starting walk again. In the meantime here’s what you missed, probably, on Goatfell
https://www.artuk.org/discover/artworks/on-top-of-goatfell-arran-83125
Hi John and that is a lovely painting. Thanks for the link 😄
Beautiful blog Ruth, the scenery you’ve been are incredible, i would definitely want to see them. Lots of views, makes you feel relax and stress free.
Thank you Mark. Arran is certainly very photogenic. 😄
Another beautiful rainbow – one of the good things that come from rain. The view from the top of Goatfell (the picture link from John) is dramatic but shows the need for caution when climbing. How sad that the guest from your b & b was killed.
Yes, it’s easy to be misled when you start to climb a mountain on a sunny day and with a clear path. A very sad story.