Monday 16 August - Sunday 22 August
Monday 16 August:
Our last minute decision to go to Arran put us in a bit of a bind. There were no sailings available so we took a massive gamble and chose to drive the 2 3/4 hours to Claonaig for the drive-up-and-hope-you-get-on service to Lochranza. Once we had committed ourselves to this plan, we then found out the Ardrossan - Brodick sailings were all completely cancelled due to covid cases amongst the crew. We were, therefore, acutely aware that the Lochranza sailing was likely to be way busier and as such, we were nervous about getting on at all. We needed to pick up some waterproofs and food shopping at Silverburn and then we were on the road. I’d hoped to get away from Glasgow by 12 at the latest and hopefully make the 3.15pm boat but we were done at Tesco by the back of 11 and drew into the queue at Claonaig just after 2pm. There was a ferry coming in when we arrived and looking at the line, we didn’t know if we were going to make it. Someone was looking down on us though - we were the third last car to get on and we set sail at 2.25pm. Absolutely perfect. The drive to Claonaig is pretty long, but the best bit is hitting the other side. No need to drive the length of the island. It’s just straight up the hill and into the house. We we in by about 3.15pm. Amazing! We spent the rest of the afternoon reacquainting ourselves with the house, then sorting our dinner. We put William to bed and had a dram while playing the pub quiz game. Annnnnnd relax....
Tuesday 17 August:
Our first full day on Arran. Got up, had breakfast (yes, even me!), had showers and put on our outdoor clothes for a morning adventure. We headed down the track and went around the bay to the Lochranza Castle, stopping to be nosey at both the Lochranza hotel (still closed to non-guests) and the amazing cottage next door which is entirely overgrown with brambles but is still, seemingly, inhabited. Ooooooh what a do-er upper project that would be for us! We walked back along the main road towards the distillery but they were fully booked for lunch so it was sandwiches for the boys and a coffee for me, some take-away bottles of malt to replace what we’d drunk the night before and back to the house for a late lunch for me. William was such a Moaning Myrtle the entire way home. Crying, whinging and stomping around. Its a tricky age for him now as he can’t be carried any more if / when we do any proper hill walking but what we were getting him to do was nothing and his reaction was totally over the top. Tough parenting morning. We hung out at home for a good wee while in the afternoon and then Iain and William decided to go on a bit of an adventure up the hill. This was quite remarkable, given the moaning William had done all morning and when they finally returned, over an hour and a half later, it became apparent that the distance and speed at which William had taken himself up the hill was actually quite astonishing. Typical that I only had to listen to the morning moans and not the afternoon delight. At least he enjoyed himself. Post dinner (meatballs and spaghetti), William and I had a bath, then Iain and I relaxed in the front room with a couple of drams and a good old crossword. The joys of island life.
Wednesday 18 August:
Breakfast, showers and town clothes. Today was a jaunt to Brodick to stock up on supplies, sort out the return ferry tickets, and (hopefully) have a wee treat lunch.
(This is where my holiday notes abruptly come to an end - aaaaargh! Prepare for much less detail as I piece together the rest of the trip using only photos to jog my memories!)
We managed to complete everything that we had planned. And even fitted in some mini golf before a really great GF fish and chips at the Douglas Hotel in Brodick.
Thursday 19 Aug:
Ronnie and Sheena had planned to come over and meet us for a few days so we spent the day pottering around, waiting on them arriving. I made some slow cooked pulled lamb and mash potato. Class. Once Sheena was at the house, William pretty much disappeared with her as the two of them spent the afternoon cleaning out the burn in the bottom field. They had a great time together and William was howling at Sheena when she fell in. ;-)
Fri 20 August
Lots of relaxing, lots of crosswording, a bit of a wander on Blackwaterfoot beach and lunch at the golf club cafe, lots of reading and lots of sudoku-ing. It's what Arran is all about.
Sat 21 August
More of the same but a wander on Sannox beach instead.
Sun 22 August
Before we knew it, our week in tranquility was at an end and we reluctantly packed up the house. Who knows when we'll be back? It was a beautiful sail back to Ardrossan, made even better by getting a really brilliant bowl of chilli nachos on the ferry. The head of the kitchen was able to rhyme off all their GF items then produced an allergy book to confirm everything and reassure me. What a pleasant surprise!
And that was it. A week of pure relaxation, over. Time to head back to the madness of Glasgow for one more week. Take a deep breath everyone!...
Lorna.
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