Isle of Arran

The Isle of Arran (Scots Gaelic: Eilean Arainn) is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde (430 km2). It is in the region of North Ayrshire. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 5,058.

Geography

The island lies in the Firth of Clyde at {{gbmapping|NR950359}}. The main village on the island is Brodick (an Old Norse name meaning "broad bay") to which the main ferry to the mainland connects. Brodick Castle is the seat of the Dukes of Hamilton.

Related Topics:
Firth of Clyde - Brodick - Brodick Castle - Dukes of Hamilton

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Arran has many mountains in the north. The highest of these is Goat Fell at 874 metres. The south of the island has many raised beaches and tall sea cliffs.

Related Topics:
Mountains - Goat Fell - Raised beach

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There are three main roads on the island, the coast road circumnavigates the island while the String and the Ross both cut across the hilly interior at different points.

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The island is sometimes referred to as "Scotland in miniature" - as it can be seen as a mixture of the Highlands and Lowlands.

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Villages on Arran

• Blackwaterfoot
• Brodick
• Catacol ("gully of the cat")
• Corrie
• Lamlash
• Lochranza ("loch of the rowan trees")
• Machrie
• Pirnmill
• Sannox ("the sandy one")
• Whiting Bay

Islands surrounding Arran

Arran has three smaller satellite islands;

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• Holy Isle lies to the east opposite Lamlash
• Pladda lies off Arran's south coast
• Tiny Hamilton Isle lies just off the Arran shore around 1.2 kilometres north of Holy Isle.

Eilean na h-Airde Baine off the south west of Arran at Corriecravie is actually more of a skerry than an island and, in any case, is connected to Arran at low tide.

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