Walking on Arran

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The 45 walking routes in this Isle of Arran guidebook range from easy 5km (3 miles) nature trails to long arduous mountain routes with scrambles (up to 22km), providing thorough coverage of Arran, including an ascent of Goatfell, and nearby Holy Isle. Also includes the 110km Arran Coastal Way, one of Scotland’s Great Trails.

Cicerone says

A guidebook to 44 walks on Scotland’s Isle of Arran (plus one on neighbouring Holy Isle) exploring the island’s stunning mountains and coast. Although there are a handful of easier routes, many of the walks involve pathless terrain and a few of the mountain traverses call for some exposed scrambling. With many walks accessible by public transport, the routes range from 5 to 23km (3–14 miles) and can be enjoyed in 2–7 hours. The final ten routes can be combined to form the 7-day Arran Coastal Way, with optional inland variants.

• 1:50,000 OS maps included for each walk
• Sized to easily fit in a jacket pocket
• GPX files available to download
• Information on refreshments
• The region’s geology, history, plants, wildlife and local points of interest

Our Verdict

For nearly 50 years Cicerone have been producing guidebooks on recognised treks, regions, areas and general tips for hikers.

We have used them countless times and they’ve always provided excellent insight and knowledge that you only get through experience, giving you the edge to make your trip a success and more enjoyable too.

If you’re a gram counter you can easily remove sections of the book to take with you making your own ultra-lightweight guidebook with only the essential sections that you require.

– Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear

Features

• Seasons: Arran is good for walking year-round: be aware that the island’s population triples in the peak summer period, and deer stalking takes place mid-August to mid-October.
• Centres: Brodick; Lamlash; Lochranza
• Difficulty: This guide include a few easy, waymarked forest trails and low-level walks and a dozen or so moderate glen and hill walks. The rest of the routes require more effort, involving higher mountains, sometimes with hands-on scrambling. There are roads and forest tracks, hill tracks and paths, but many routes also cross pathless slopes and traverse rocky mountain ridges.
• Must See: Goatfell, Holy Isle, Beinn Nuis, Beinn Tarsuinn, the Sannox Horseshoe, Glen Rosa and the Cock of Arran

Specifications

• Weight: 333g
• Published: 6 June 2023
• Edition: Fourth
• Number of pages: 288
• Size: 17.2 x 11.6 x 1.6cm