Arran

[Sundae]

Gosh the walk to King's Cave was tough.
I thought I had everything nailed after the walking I'd done. NO.
The mud on Arran is sooooooooo slippy!
I'm used to good old Vale of Aylesbury heavy clay. It doubles your weight within ten steps, but you can't fall over in it. You're anchored by it.

Started following the signs for the Cave but after a while I admit I lost faith. There were no further signs, the going was tough and I had a bus to catch. Not making excuses. I fell over twice before I decided to call it a day. Once on the steep hill, once on the flat. First fall I lost my popcorn. Not a euphemism; I had a bag of healthy air-popped corn which the wind gleefully scattered for me.

Second I just slid sideways in the silt. And lay there for a few moments considering my position. Prone, as it turned out.

So I simply turned around and gave up. Something I regretted enormously. Until Limey made me feel better the next day. Exhaustive research ( map of Arran) proved I was going the right way. But it wasn't obvious at the time. And I made the bus with ten minutes to spare - meaning an extra five minutes walking there and back. I still wouldn't have reached the Caves.

Oh and I fell again, in the sheep shit, on my way back. Broke my watch. Broke my watch so bad it couldn't be fixed. Forget Australia people, Arran is just as bloody lethal.

[Sundae]

Blackwaterfoot on the way back.
And a welcoming fire at the Limeys'.

Limes was ever so good to me.
Well she was in all aspects, but particularly in respect of the fire.

I used to have an open fire, and let the male visitors to the house take care of it. Not because I am a weak and silly woman, but because I am a manipulative one. The deal was they could build and light the fire, but only if they cleaned it out thoroughly beforehand.

Then again, I cooked for them in return, so I guess it was all gender-role-playing after all.

Anyway, Limey understood my need for crackle-crackle-burn-burn and heaped on wood for my benefit alone. Now she and Mr Limey are snowed in I feel guilty at the profligate use of wood I urged her into.

[richlevy]

Nice pictures. I was intrigued by the fact that the local hotel was a Best Western. Are they everywhere? It looks like Arran is not as isolated as I thought after looking at the tourism website.

[Sundae]

My main trek with Limey.
Apart from the Bri trek I mean. But this was was more about exercise and less about emotion.

Limes says the initial part of the route is a little tricky.
Yeah right. Like hell is warm.
Scared the life outta me!
I think I forgot to tell her how much I was spooked by heights.
Poor Limes had to climb around me on the rock-scrambling part of the walk, and physically pull me up. I was honestly frozen, and not by cold.

We then went around the hill on a rackety sheep track. Again I was terrified. One slip and I would have my cheek flayed open by the wire fencing, or skid down a hill in brokenness and no mobile signal to save me. Remember I still had the muscle memory of falling from the day before.

Limey strode ahead like Good Kind Wenceslas. I followed. She's a bonny lass to follow.

[Griff]

Island culture seems to preserve a little of that community feel. I guess its the semi-isolation.

[Sundae]

Once we were after the sheep track, we were on a very well maintained rough stone road. It dipped and peaked, but despite the snow I could have walked on it forever. Just one foot in front of the other, head down girls, on we go.

Snow? Oh yes. I asked for it and it came.
Snow and wind, flurries in our faces all the way there.

Trouble.
Yes, sadly there was trouble.
Got 2/3 of way there (we think) only to find the burn is running across the track.
And when I say running across, I don't mean the little streams I've forded before. I mean a dirty great river with a fair amount of power behing it. And Limey's boots are only showerproof.

There is a potential crossing a little further up, but the rocks look very slippy, and some are actually underwater. Limes and I agree that it's really not worth the risk. Saying that, we check two or three times and walk up through the wet grass to the potential crossing anyway. No. It really isn't worth the risk.

So what do you do if you're English, halfway up a mountain, in the snow?
PICNIC TIME!

[Sundae]

Limey who is generous is every respect, bought the rolls in Brodick.
She understands the importance of supporting local businesses.
So she chose a ham, brie and mango chutney roll. Which I coveted. The closest was a bacon, brie and chutney roll, but I am always wary of the bacon other people cook. Especially when they leave the rind on.

Guess what?
Limes said I could have the ham one and she had the bacon one.
She's a lady.

Also bought me two white cobs for the journey home.
I filled them with corned beef and hot beetroot chutney.
Om nomnomnom.
Et them both within half an hour of leaving Glasgow...

Limey in the invisible snow.
The stairs to Mordor.

[Sundae]

Photo-wise, tis done.
I had a problem free journey back.
Midday, mid-week, got a double-seat.

Only detour was Preston, which I esteem anyway as the birthplace of Steve Pemberton.
And I got the Sheldon photo.

I could not have had a better time on Arran if I'd won the Lottery. I was so well looked after. The household was so calm and welcoming. The cats were too. And although it might look like I explored, in truth I barely scratched the surface. Do go if you can.

Arran always meant Mr & Mrs Limey to me anyway.
Now it also means Brianna.
I carry them all in my belly like some big pre-historic carving.

[Sundae]

It's true - it's not really isolated, but it feels a world away from Scotland.
And further from England.

You can see Northern Island from Arran.

[footfootfoot]

Wow Sundae, I've got to say despite your ever increasing radiance, Arran certainly does agree with you. Maybe you could move there. What the hell do people do for a living there? Besides soak in all the beauty?

[Sundae]

Well they do soak up my reflected beauty, it's true. A job in itself.
And do normal things like work in shops and banks and drive buses and clean rooms in hotels.

Nice people also teach music to childer and work online as translators. But that gets buggered up when there is a power cut, and the cats worry about whether they are going to get fed. Nice people are used to the weather and are well-provisioned of course.

And other people just visit and dream of the day when they can finally write their magnum opus, even though their co-author has checked out.

[glatt]

I finally got a chance to read the rest of this thread on a proper computer screen. My little phone screen didn't do it justice.

It's simply outstanding. From beginning to end. Thanks for documenting your trip so well. Almost as good as being there.

I'm struck by all the pictures of forest on Arran. I thought Arran was more, well barren. I'm not sure why I thought that. Maybe because Arran rhymes with barren. And I didn't expect it to be so treacherous!

It's a spectacular place, and I'm really glad you shared it with us.

[Pete Zicato]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Taken together it reads like the very best travel literature.

At the risk of repeating myself, Sundae has a knack, one that could be a profitable career, I think.

Really, Sundae. Think about it.

[orthodoc]

Originally Posted by Pete Zicato

At the risk of repeating myself, Sundae has a knack, one that could be a profitable career, I think.

Really, Sundae. Think about it.

I agree; I think you should consider it, Sundae. And thank you again for the wonderful virtual tour. It was the next best thing to being there.

[Sundae]

About a year ago I entered a competition to tour Denmark and write up the experience as a real person, not a travel journalist. You had to submit an article (not published anywhere else) and there was a sliding scale of prizes.

I submitted.
I never heard from them again.

I guess us Dwellars have similar mindsets, so enjoy eachother's commentrries.
The rest of the world might not think so (clumsy House of Cards ref.)
Bill Bryson (who I adore) doesn't need to worry just yet. Maybe I'll make it to being an octogenarian and find a niche travel market.

Sigh. The way things are going I'll be lucky to reach 41. But that's a whole other story.