UKC

hi all, is climbing & camping on Arran doable for a long weekend, without a car?
Thinking of going but leaving car on the mainland, any advice from the wise ukc elves greatly appreciated.

In reply to skarabrae:

A car would be helpful.

I was there a couple weeks ago & the bus service didn't look great!

In reply to Stewy12: cheers for the reply, effin expensive to take a car across!!

In reply to skarabrae:

I've never taken a car across, crazy talk!

In reply to jonnie3430: I don't have a map at hand, just thinking out loud (with a shiraz) any campsites near goatfell, within public transport of ferry & shops?

In reply to skarabrae:

It's been a long time (20 years) since I've been there but I never took a car - if you're climbing in Glen Rosa you can walk from the ferry terminal, and either camp at the official campsite at the foot of Glen Rosa or carry on and bivvy/camp at the top (which is what I always did, being a penniless student at the time).

Rick

In reply to skarabrae: No need for a car mate, as has been said you can walk to Glen Rosa or get the bus up to Glen Sannox, buses run in conjunction with the ferries. As for camping in Glen Rosa I'd bivy further up, heard some funny and some not so funny stories about the official campsite........

In reply to Kev Shields:
Waste of money taking a car. As others have said it's a short walk to Glen Rosa from Brodick. Also a number of bike hire oulets in Brodick. The Arran bus services are ok. All ferries connect with local buses at Brodick pier.

In reply to Kev Shields:

I seem to remember there are some good howffs at the top of Glen Rosa, though my main memory of sleeping there on my own (in September) was being kept awake by the bellowing of rutting stags - slightly alarming to be in close proximity to all that heavily-armed testosterone...

Rick

In reply to skarabrae:


Leave your car in Ardrossan; take your bike across. Isn't that the obvious solution?

In reply to skarabrae: I live in Ardrossasn and visit Arran often. Taking a car across is a luxury. It does not cost too much to leave your car in the Ardrossan Harbour car park. When you arrive in Brodick you can walk or get a bus to Glen Rosa Campsite which gives you good access to Cir Mhor, Goatfell and others. If you planning on camping at Lochranza then you will need to take the bus. A bike is a good idea. Arran has a beautiful dusting of snow on it's peaks at the moment.

In reply to skarabrae: years ago we used to hire bikes on the Island and use them to get to Glen Rosa ,it used to be just across and down the road from the Ferry

In reply to skarabrae:
I've never taken a car to Arran.
I have found the busses connect well with the ferries.
And if it is Goatfell you want, that is an easy walk from the harbour, though you can get the bus to a number of other start points.

There are several campsites on the island, all of which can be reached by a bus that meets the ferry. http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/townlisting.asp?town=Isle%20Of%20Arran&am...

Of course, this being the People's Republic of Scotland you can wild camp anywhere that is wild (ie not ploughed fields or people's gardens).