It’s not often you get to circumambulate anything, much less an entire land mass. But a few hours from Glasgow, a 65-mile trail encircling the Isle of Arran allows visitors to walk all the way around what is often called “Scotland in miniature,” tromping up misty green mountains, down cliff-lined beaches, past heathery moors and sheep-dotted meadows, and through every other typically Scottish landscape imaginable. And in the summertime, the island’s crisp breezes and abundant bodies of cool water are the stuff of a sweaty American’s fever dream.
The Arran Coastal Way, originally conceived in 2003 and likely to enter the pantheon of Scotland’s Great Trails later this year, can be hiked in the space of a week by hardy backpackers. Contingency planning is easy here: if the weather goes sour—and it inevitably will at least once during your stay—tents can be traded for cozy beds in any of the 12 villages the trail intercepts, and a bus system connects many parts of the island (search the SPT website for the latest schedules).
Getting to Arran is a snap: from Glasgow’s airport, a combination of bus, train, and ferry brings visitors to Arran’s main port of Brodick in around three hours. (Allow an additional hour if you’re flying into Edinburgh). Best of all, with the British pound at record lows, there’s no better time to visit the region than right now.
Keren Landman is a freelance journalist and global health specialist based in Atlanta, Georgia.
1 of 9
![]()
1. Ardrossan Ferry
It's technically just transit to the island, but it's still fun: stand on the deck, let the wind whip your hair, and watch the mainland recede and Arran approach. If you're feeling indoorsy, tuck yourself into one of the massive round booths in the cafe deck, drink a frothy coffee, and start getting excited.
In addition to transporting foot passengers, the ferry can move cars and bicycles, although if that's your plan, it's best to book ahead.
Photo by Keren Landman
2 of 9
![]()
2. Wild Camping
One of the best things about backpacking in Scotland is its liberal attitude toward wild camping: the country's Outdoor Access Code permits campers to pitch their tents pretty much anywhere that isn't an enclosed field of crops or farm animals, so long as they follow some simple rules. If you camp in small groups, don't stay too many nights, and take all your waste with you, you can stumble out of your tent in the morning to almost any view you want.
For nights when you're feeling a little less wild, paid camping sites often offer hot showers and laundry facilities. If you're feeling especially beat up, accommodations ranging from hostels to bed and breakfasts dot the island and often have last-minute availability. Some have listings on major booking sites, but many do not, and a few rely on phone communication rather than email. Check the Visit Arran site and TripAdvisor as a starting point.
Photo by Keren Landman
3 of 9
![]()
3. Goatfell Mountain
Hillwalking—or as outsiders call it, mountain climbing—is an activity unto its very Scottish self, and terms for categorizing the peak altitude of Scotland's many mountains are suitably nationalistic. The highest point in Arran, Goatfell's 2,867-foot peak is among the more modest Corbetts—but in favorable weather, hikers who clamber up its bouldery nose can see every bit of shoreline in Arran. (In unfavorable weather, those who bother will just suck wind and see the rocks in front of their faces).
The route up to the peak is an out-and-back leg off the Arran Coastal Way. Hikers may choose to leave their packs at the branch point for the climb and pick them back up on their way down.
Photo by andy CC BY
4 of 9
![]()
4. Arran Distillery
Lovers of Scotch whisky will leave the Arran Distillery feeling infinitely less bedraggled than when they arrived. Built in 1995, the distillery has in recent years received some international attention for its bright, citrusy whiskies, two "wee drams" of which are included in tours of the newish production area (7.50£). And while it's quite soothing to hear fermentation explained by a kilted and brogued man in the coppery glow of the pot stills, book a "tutored" tasting of four whiskies (15£) to ensure complete education/obliteration.
Photo by Keren Landman
5 of 9
![]()
5. Beaches
Although the Gulf Stream guarantees Arran's coastal waters will never be warm, a dip in the bracing seawater is extraordinarily soothing after a long day of hiking (and makes for an excellent pregame activity to a night at a nearby pub). There are serviceable sandy beaches all over the island, with some of the best near Lagg, Kildonan, Pirnmill and Lamlash.
Several companies offer sea kayaking and sailing from multiple locations, and Arran Outdoor offers a five-day kayaking trip around the island.
Photo by Keren Landman
6 of 9
![]()
6. Restaurants
Because the trail meanders through 12 villages during its loop around the island, you're never very far from a proper meal. One of the oldest pubs on the island is inside the Lagg Hotel, on the southern side of the island. If you don't die of contentment while stretched out in the hotel's grassy creekside garden, drag yourself into the aggressively cozy pub for a meal under timbered ceilings or a drink in front of the fire.
Elsewhere on the island, villages have a narrow range of places to eat, most with good vegetarian options. Few require reservations, although some in the more heavily visited towns on the eastern shore fill up quickly during peak season, and restaurant kitchens often close at 9 p.m. If your only option on a Wednesday in Lamlash is the Drift Inn's pub quiz night, consider it a happy accident: the food and the locally-inflected trivia questions are both delicious.
Photo by Seth Irish
7 of 9
![]()
7. Stone Circles at Machrie Moor
The sleepy farm road leading to this archaeological marvel is poor preparation for its scale and drama: at the end of a series of sheep pastures, massive flat stones jut skyward out of the golden-green moor, marking the boundaries of one of six distinct circles and the burial sites of people who lived on the land over 4,000 years ago. Although the site is one of the most important prehistoric finds in Scotland, much about the circles' purpose remains mysterious. Still, when the stones' shadows stretch toward the mountains in the late afternoon, it's easy to appreciate whatever sense of magic might have led people to place these monuments here.
The road from the main path is about three miles round-trip.
Photo by Keren Landman
8 of 9
![]()
8. Holy Isle
This corner of Scotland might not be the first place you'd expect to see Tibetan prayer flags flapping in the wind, but Holy Isle is full of surprises. A short ferry ride from the eastern port of Lamlash, the tiny island has been a sacred place to several faiths since the sixth century C.E. Today, it's home to a Buddhist monastery, where day visitors can stop in for a look at the garden and a free cuppa. Nearby walking trails feature colorfully painted stones and a population of wild horses.
Photo by Keren Landman
9 of 9
![]()
9. Wildlife
Although Arran is not particularly well-known for its wildlife, a variety of animal populations add color and noise to all parts of the island, and potentially, your morning. The sheep dotting idyllic cliffside pastures are both photogenic and conversational, and just west of Kildonan, seals heave themselves onto seaside boulders to catch rays and show off for onlookers (the otters and basking sharks are somewhat more elusive). On Holy Isle, wild Eriskay Ponies make frequent appearances to socialize with visitors. Although you should avoid touching or disturbing the animals—you don't want to have to acknowledge that on your U.S. customs form—consider camping near (but not in) a pasture for the pleasures of an animal alarm clock.
Photo by Keren Landman