Hello!
We've just returned from a short holiday to Arran.
The journey there involves an hour long trip on the ferry which just adds to the holiday feeling.
We're on the old "Isle of Arran" ferry which is used to supplement the ferry provision during peak season (most Scottish schools finished for the summer last Friday so it's holiday time here now). We pass the newer "Caledonian Isles" ferry on its return journey half way across.
Getting closer...
...and we've arrived. Within ten minutes of leaving the ferry we've driven to Lamlash and are already on the beach admiring the views (here of the Holy Isle)...
...and collecting shells.
We travel a little further south, still in Lamlash, and have a picnic lunch.
Umbellifer shot.
Now we're at Kildonan. The triangular shaped island is the Ailsa Craig.
Boats above the beach.
A & N looking from the rocks down to one of the bays.
We visit the main beach for some sandcastle building then we set of for a walk, there is something here we want to see...
En route we pass a monkey and dog attached to a tree stump.
Soldier beetles.
Thistle.
A view of one of the gorgeous little bays that we pass.
The Ailsa Craig on the horizon with a passing sailing boat. And the blob in front is a seal hauled out on one of the rocks - just what we were looking for!
I sneak round the back of the rocks to get a closer look.
I'm momentarily distracted by an oyster catcher...
... then back to another view of the seal, I like his expression, he looks very content.
The beaches here are really beautiful. After quite a while playing on the rocks, watching the seal and admiring the views we return along past the bays to the car and set off for our final destination...
...which I neglect to photograph until sunset! We're staying in Blackwaterfoot and meet up with hubby who had cycled to Ardrossan to catch an earlier ferry to the one we took. He then cycled right round Arran and back over the String to Blackwaterfoot (approx 90 miles altogether). We also meet up with my parents who are holidaying here - the cottage they found was big enough to accomodate some extra guests (us!) for a few days.
So, umbellifers (or is it umbelliferae?) at sunset to finish our first day.
And, just look at the view from our bedroom window the next morning:-
Imagine opening you curtains to this every day! Of course, it doesn't always look like this - we were very lucky with the weather while we were there.
The morning was spent on the beach, hubby and the children went body-boarding while I paddled in the sea and pootled about on the sand.
More to follow...
PS Thank you to all who commented on my photos in the previous post. I'll update you with the results soon. The suspense... can you bear it!
13 comments:
lovely blog, makes me want to visit, so beautiful!!
Your photos are stunning and Arran is gorgeous. You struck very lucky with the weather yesterday too esp as today is miserable. My friend and I were did a loop around the Loch Lomond/Helensburgh area and it was so beautiful both in the slight mistiness and then full sun. Enjoy your break.
Oh, these are just beautiful photos of a beautiful place on earth! I once cycled around the North half of Arran and really enjoyed it. We should really visit Arran sometime soon, it is so close to home, we sometimes overlook it.
C'est tellement beau !!! Je suis en amour avec vos photographies!
Have a lovely weekend !
Lucie x
Beautiful!!!!! Really, just stunning. I never realised that Ailsa Craig was that shape! The sunset shots are especially lovely. So glad that you had such a good time, it sounds as though it was all wonderful and the weather was obviously very good to you, which makes all the difference. Oh and love your shot of the phormium against the sunset too! xx
Absolutely gorgeous photos, it looks like an amazing place to visit, I would love to see it in person.
Hugs to you,
Meredith
Awwww it reminds me of my honeymoon in the Mull of Kintyre. So beautiful and makes me want to return time and time again. Thanks for sharing. x
oh so lovely. I had a lovely childhood holiday there x
Looks like you picked a perfect day for it. Great photos. In good weather conditions the Scottish West Coast can match any other destination anywhere in the world.
Stunning!
Looks really beautiful!
Thank you so much for this post, I am missing my trip to Scotland this year. I love to take a ferry trip when I am there, it really adds to the holiday feeling doesn't it?
Just catching up on my blog reading. What wonderful photos of such a beautiful place. Another place I shall add to the "must visit one day" list :-)
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