Things to Do on the Isle of Arran

From dramatic mountains and beautiful beaches to wildlife, castles and coastal villages, there’s no shortage of things to do on the Isle of Arran. Whether you’re planning a peaceful weekend break, a walking holiday or your first island adventure, Arran has something special waiting to be discovered.

Here at Arran Park, on the quieter south side of the island, we’re sharing some of our favourite places and experiences to help you plan your visit.

Planning a visit? Make yourself at home at The Old Byre, our cosy self-catering accommodation on a peaceful working farm in Sliddery. It’s a lovely base for discovering the island at your own pace. If you’d like accommodation for all the family then The Willows could be perfect for you!

Be where we’ve been

We bought this farm because we fell in love with Arran. Since then we’ve been discovering beaches, castles, walks, wildlife and hidden corners of the island whenever we can. There’s a reason we have dozens of pictures of sunsets, dramatic scenery and of course the wildlife. Arran has so much to offer every visitor – we’ve only scratched the surface. Whether you’re here for a weekend or a little longer, we hope you’ll discover a few favourite places of your own. If you find somewhere special, we’d love to hear about it – we’re always looking for our next adventure too.

The Auld Trooper

For many people, this is where an Arran adventure begins. Locals affectionately call the Caledonian Isles “The Auld Trooper”—seeing her swing right as she sails into Brodick never gets old. Choose either Troon or Ardrossan for your ferry journey over to the beautiful Isle of Arran.

Plan your journey

Goatfell

Arran’s highest mountain dominates the island skyline. We were (un)fortunate enough to witness this dramatic scene during the 2025 wildfire—a reminder of both the beauty of nature and how important it is to look after it. It has one of the best walks on the island – find them all on the WalkHighlands site.

WalkHighlands

Sand & Everything Else!

For more information on where the best beaches are, the local restaurants and cafes, and of course where to find the seals, visit the official Visit Arran website

Visit Arran

You can get anywhere and everywhere on Arran within half an hour’s drive (slightly longer if you’re cycling!) But if you’re on two legs then we have three bus routes to get you where you want to go. 🚌 Arran Bus Timetables

Activities
  • 🥾 Walking & hiking
  • 🏔️ Climbing
  • 🚴 Cycling & Mountain biking
  • 🛶 Kayaking & Sailing
  • 🏄 Paddleboarding
  • 🎣 Sea & freshwater fishing
  • 🏌️ Golf – 7 courses to enjoy
  • 📸 Photography
  • 🌅 Sunset chasing
  • 🛍️ Independent shops
  • 🎨 Art galleries & studios
  • 🧀 Local food & drink
  • ☕ Cosy cafés
  • 🚢 Boat trips
  • ⭐ Stargazing
  • 🌿 Forest walks
  • 🌺 Gardens
🥃 Distilleries and Brewery’s
  • 🥃 Two Whisky Distilleries
  • 🍺 Two breweries
  • 🍸 Local botanical spirits and gin producers
🦋 Nature
  • 🦋 Butterflies
  • 🐝 Bees (including our own honey bees)
  • 🪲 Dragonflies
  • 🌸 Wildflowers
  • 🌿 Ancient woodlands
History
  • 🏰 Three Castles
  • 🪨 Four Stone Circles
  • 🛡️ Four Ancient Forts
  • 👑 King’s Cave (linked with Robert the Bruce and the spider legend)
  • ⚓ Lochranza Harbour (historic Viking anchorage)
  • ⛪ St Molios Church & Holy Well,
⚱️ Prehistoric Sites
  • ⚱️ Torrylin Chambered Cairn
  • ⚱️ Giants’ Graves (Whiting Bay)
  • ⚱️ Monamore Chambered Cairn
  • ⚱️ Hut circles and burial cairns around Machrie Moor
🏡 Museums & Heritage
  • 🏡 Arran Heritage Museum (Brodick)
  • 🚜 Auchindrain-style preserved croft buildings (within the museum)
  • ⛪ Whiting Bay Heritage Centre
  • 🪦 Neolithic rock art sites
  • 🌍 Arran Geopark (where geology tells hundreds of millions of years of history)
Wildlife
🦌 Mammals
  • 🦌 Red deer
  • 🦦 Otters
  • 🦭 Common & grey seals
  • 🐿️ Red squirrels
  • 🦇 Bats
  • 🐰 Hares
  • 🦔 Hedgehogs
🐬 Marine Wildlife
  • 🐬 Dolphins
  • 🐋 Minke whales
  • 🦈 Basking sharks (summer)
  • 🐟 Porpoises
🐦 Birds
  • 🦅 Golden eagles
  • 🦅 White-tailed sea eagles (occasionally seen)
  • 🦉 Barn owls
  • 🦅 Buzzards
  • 🦅 Sparrowhawks
  • 🐦 Oystercatchers
  • 🐦 Curlews
  • 🐦 House martins
  • 🐦 Sand martins
  • 🐦 Swallows
  • 🐦 Bullfinches
  • 🐦 Herons
  • 🐦Siskines

And no list is complete without our 8 ex commercial hens, Dottie, Winnie, Bobbie, Fairy and the Gang of Four aka Hubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble!

Whether you’ve already fallen in love with Arran or are planning your very first visit, one thing is certain…

Your adventure is just beginning…