Two Arran hills (with a bike and tent)

I had been on a cycling trip to Arran in 2012 and had always intended to return to climb the four major hills on the island: Goat Fell, Beinn Tarsuinn, Cir Mhor and Caisteal Abhail, all over 2500 feet in height and hence Corbetts. Astonishingly, seven years passed before I decided it was time to go and do this. Naturally, I put my bike on the train to use on Arran and took my tent so that I could camp in Glen Rosa and make an early start up Beinn Tarsuinn on the second day. My original plan was to climb Goat Fell on the first day and then climb the remaining three on the second day, returning from Caisteal Abhail and Cir Mhor down the floor of Glen Rosa.

Costs. Train + ferry (return) £22.90. Campsite £5. Dinner and drinks £23.80. Total cost of trip £65.

Places I stayed and was happy with. Glen Rosa Campsite, Brodick.

Books. The Rough Guide to Scotland (Rough Guides, 11th edition).

Maps. OS Landranger: Sheet 69, 1:50,000.

See also. Cycling Arran (with a tent).

Day 1: Travel to Arran; climb Goat Fell; camp. I cycled the 5 miles from home to Glasgow Central and put my bike on the 9.18 am train to Ardrossan, meeting some other cyclists on their way to Arran. I boarded the ferry at 10.45 am and we were underway at 11 am. We arrived in Brodick at 11.55 am and I cycled to Glen Rosa campsite and pitched my tent, dumping all my stuff inside it that I did not need for my walk. I then cycled to Cladach and started walking up Goat Fell, at 874 m the highest mountain on Arran, at 1.20 pm. I reached the summit at 3.10 pm and appreciated the magnificent views of Cir Mhor and the Witch’s Step. I was back down in Cladach at 5 pm and returned to the campsite for a wash and a change of clothes. At 6.10 pm I cycled back into Brodick and eventually found somewhere to have dinner – there is not a lot of choice in the village. After dinner, I cycled back to my tent and had “lights out” at 9 pm.

Day 2: Climb Beinn Tarsuinn; travel home. After sleeping surprisingly well, I got up at about 5.30 am and started cycling up Glen Rosa at 6.10 am, leaving my tent and other stuff at the campsite. Breakfast consisted of a couple of granola bars. I summited Beinn Tarsuinn (via Beinn Nuis) at 9.35 am and decided that was enough for the day: the weather was not as good as predicted and I was moving much slower than I expected. (Too fast on Goat Fell the previous day? Lack of a proper breakfast?) I descended via Beinn a’ Chliabhain and was back at the campsite at 12.35 pm. I packed the tent up and then cycled to the ferry terminal, arriving about 2 pm. The ferry departed at 3.15 pm and arrived in Ardrossan at about 4.10 pm. The Glasgow train left at 4.36 pm and I was home at 6.15 pm, rather saddle sore.

Kit notes. I strapped my 1.5-kg, one-person tent and 3/4-length self-inflating mat to the rack on the back of my bike. On my back, I had my new 35-litre rucksack containing a sleeping bag, trekking towel, clothes, toiletries, camera, phone, and a few bike accessories. On my feet, I had walking boots, even when cycling – I viewed this as a walking trip and the cycling distances were fairly minimal, although crucial to the overall plan.

Wildlife seen. Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Common Lizard.

Other useful links. ScotRail train + ferry tickets

CalMac ferries

Arran tourist information

Reflections. An excellent trip, even if I did not quite achieve my original aims in full (as so often happens these days), in that I did not get as far as Cir Mhor and Caisteal Abhail. But no worries – I have an excuse to visit beautiful Arran again! The weather was not as good as forecast on the morning of the second day and, for some reason, I felt I was not firing on all cylinders (as witnessed by my slow time up Beinn Tarsuinn). But the overall plan was excellent and both the bike and Glen Rosa camping were central to it.

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