Local Attractions near Fernbank

The island of Arran, just sixty miles round, is known as “Scotland in miniature” because of the incredible variety of scenery it can offer.

Near to Fernbank Holiday Cottage can be found:

King’s Cross

At the top of the hill down into Whiting Bay from the North take the road signposted King’s Cross. At the road end, walk down past Point House and along the shore where you get magnificent views of Holy Island and the Northern mountains.  Where the path turns south you will find an Iron Age Fort and just beyond it the boat-shaped outline of a Viking grave.

Glenashdale

At the South end of the village, take the path up Glenashdale Burn. After half a mile you have the choice of taking a left fork up to the Giants’ Graves which are Neolithic burial chambers about 6000 years old. It’s a stiff climb up c100 rustic steps at first but easier once past the steps.

Ignore the Giants’ Graves signpost and you will climb up the side of the burn and get a wonderful view of the Glenashdale Falls, the highest on the Island with a total fall of about 160 feet. You can cross the burn by a bridge above the falls and come down a forestry road on the other side, passing another Iron Age Fort and the old village of Kiscadale.

Hill Walking and Climbing

The mountain massif in the north of Arran can challenge even experienced climbers, while the gentler hills of the south are fringed with many sandy beaches.

The Island is a mecca for geologists and archaeologists and offers a wide range of sporting activities including

• golf with seven courses
• fishing
• tennis
• swimming (2 indoor pools)
• pony trekking

Brodick Castle is well worth a visit as is the Arran Distillery at Lochranza and there is a wide range of shops offering local craftwork, aromatics and specialist foodstuffs. Two local newspapers will keep you up-to-date with entertainment on offer.

For the Shopper

Bilsland’s in Brodick, Duchess Court just North of Brodick and Balmichael Visitor Centre in Shiskine have a wide range of Arran foods, toiletries and gifts. The food factory on the Ross Road at the south end of Lamlash is also worth a visit. On the west side of the island look in on the Sheepskin shop at Druid Auchencar Farm north of Machrie for leather goods, knitwear and sheepskins. There are also art galleries  in Brodick and Whiting Bay, and other craftspeople produce woodwork, pottery, candles etc. at various places.

For the Drinker

The Distillery in Lochranza offers tours of the building and sells a variety of fine whiskies. The Arran Brewery at Cladach, north of Brodick, makes three kinds of award-winning ales.

For the Foodie

Whiting Bay has several hotels offering restaurant meals. There is also a Chinese restaurant and a very good tea room – the Coffee Pot. Elsewhere there are many more hotel restaurants and tea rooms. Some of these have live music on occasion. Gourmet eaters might like to try Stalkers in Duchess Court or the Kilmichael Hotel near Brodick.

Entertainment

There are occasional concerts of all kinds of music, drama performances, film shows and dances. Look in the Arran Banner and the Arran Voice - [Link to websites] for details. Football and cricket matches take place in season – North Arran football team has the distinction of never having won a match for 15 years.

Church Services

The following meet regularly:

• Baptist Church
• Catholic Church
• Church of Scotland
• Episcopal Church in Scotland
• Free Church of Scotland