An Arran blog by Jacqueline and Geoff, on and about the Isle of Arran, Scotland

Beautiful morning in Blackwaterfoot

17/4/2015

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Poem by 'Sweet Sugar'

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Road to the Clouds?

9/4/2015

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Strange cloud bank covers Kintyre and sea on approach to Blackwaterfoot from the south of Arran.

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"Secrets of Arran" a book by Christina Kelly

2/2/2015

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When Jenna Taylor is put into witness protection after witnessing the contract killing of a drug dealer, it soon becomes clear that the killer is one of the most wanted men in Europe and Jenna is hidden on the Isle of Arran by Detective Inspector Alex McKenna. It seems Alex has his own motives for bringing Jenna to Arran, and Jenna falls in love with not only the Island and its inhabitants, but frustratingly with the Detective as well. Jenna gets especially close to local boy Jamie, but he has secrets of his own and they seem to be linked to the very house that Jenna is staying in. When strange things begin to happen in the house, Jenna gets scared and it soon becomes apparent that the house, Jamie and Alex are somehow connected and she sets out to find the answers. She soon realizes that not only is she trying to save her own life but that she has to save the life of the man she has fallen in love with.

Content contains adult themes

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Black Forest Scones to die for . . .

31/1/2015

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Janie's Tea Room in Brodick

Yes that's right 'Black Forest' and 'Scone'. Couldn't quite believe it ourselves, but the combination is truly something to experience at the welcoming and very friendly 'Janie's Tea Room' just outside Brodick next to Arran Aromatics.

Served warm, with a choice of clotted cream, butter or jam, these are very special, so much so that we went back for a second to share! Coffee there is lovely too. Fresh, nicely prepared with decaf 'proper' available for those of that persuasion.

The area outside the main tea room is also 'dog friendly', a rare find on Arran and much appreciated on this late January day.

With other shops within the area, this is the perfect destination after an amble along 'Fishermans Walk' from Brodick (access from the car park behind the 'small' Co-op) but do watch out for high tides as the route will be blocked.

Great coffee and service with a smile

Dog friendly Janie's Tea Room in Brodick

Janie's Tea Room
Home Farm
BRODICK
Isle of Arran

Tel: 01770 302874

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'All Weather' Beach Walk at Blackwaterfoot

30/1/2015

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Having been off Arran for a week working, our first morning back has to start with a walk on the beach at Blackwaterfoot. The sun was barely up over hills, and the clear sky tempted us briefly.

A cauldron of winter ingredients were urgently gathered, put in order and emptied in dramatic form as we headed to 'The Doon'. Icy rain, hail, some snow. Sheltering amongst our favourite rocks, we watched as the sky's dark foreboding curtain danced across the sea from Kintyre.

Moments later, calm. As is often the case here, the anger passes, the sun restores itself and blue magically completes the scene.

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Movies come to Arran with the mighty Screen Machine

10/11/2014

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Our Island Cinema

Screen Machine is an 80-seat, air conditioned mobile cinema which brings the latest films to remote and rural areas of Scotland and this week it arrives in Brodick.

Screen Machine tours 25-35 communities in the Highlands and Western Islands and each tour lasts approximately 10 weeks. Screen Machine also appears at selected film festivals.

Opening night is this Thursday 13th November and it starts off with the award winning 'Ida' Cert 12A which looks fantastic and we already have our tickets! Get yours for this and all other films at ScreenMachine.co.uk

The Screen Machine Cinema

Films showing this week in Brodick

Take a look at Screen Machine arriving on Mull

Screen Machine on Mull from Screen Machine on Vimeo.

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The Isle of Arran in Vintage Postcards

25/9/2014

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Brodick Castle, Isle of Arran, Scotland

Isle of Arran & Loch Ascog from Canada Hill Circa 1985

Cordon, Lamlash, Isle of Arran, Scotland

Brodick Bay & Goatfell, Arran circa 1930 Scotland

View from Golf Course, Whiting Bay, Arran circa 1957 Scotland

Druidical Stone & Goatfell, Arran, Scotland

North Goatfell from Ben Tarsuinn, Arran, Scotland

Entrance to Glen Sannox, Arran, Scotland

Lamlash Main Street circa 1907, Arran, Scotland

Wonderful Images of the Past available to buy

We are following our friends @OldPostcards on Twitter, and when they posted one of these evocative cards of Arran I thought what a lovely feature they would make on our blog. So, with their permission here are a few of the ones they have on offer and you can see more here.

Click on any image to open the lightbox and enjoy them in all their glory.

Postcards of other areas are available (and searchable) on their main site www.oldpostcardsetc.co.uk

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Enjoying afternoon sunshine at The Drift Inn

23/9/2014

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One of the great spots to be on a sunny afternoon in Lamlash on the Isle of Arran. The Drift Inn does more than a fab view across to Holy Isle too, with a varied menu, fresh coffee and enjoyable music sessions.

Check out their website or follow them on Twitter @InnDrift

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Islands of Pladda and Ailsa Craig seen from Kildonan beach on Arran

18/9/2014

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Pladda

Pladda (Scottish Gaelic: Pladaigh) is an uninhabited island 1 km off the south coast of the Isle of Arran in the Firth of Clyde at grid reference NS027191, western Scotland. It is home to the automated Pladda Lighthouse. The island is privately owned, having been put up for sale by Arran Estate in 1990

There appears to have been a church or chapel on Pladda. John of Fordun and other chroniclers from 1400 to 1500 speak of the isle of St Blase of Pladda.
Nothing now remains to mark its site, and its whereabouts are unknown.

(Source Wikipdia)

Ailsa Craig

Ailsa Craig (/ˈ eɪ l s ə /; Scottish Gaelic: Creag Ealasaid) is an island of 219.69 acres in the outer Firth of Clyde, 10 miles from mainland Scotland, upon which blue hone granite was quarried to make curling stones. The now uninhabited island is formed from the volcanic plug of an extinct volcano.

The island, colloquially known as "Paddy's milestone",[6] was a haven for Catholics during the Scottish Reformation in the 16th century, but is today a bird sanctuary, providing a home for huge numbers of gannets and an increasing number of puffins.

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King's Caves Photography with Aerial Drone

1/9/2014

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Unique viewpoint adds drama to the location

The King's Caves near Machrie, on the west coast of the Isle of Arran, are a dramatic spectacle renowned for their (would be) connection of being the refuge of Robert the Bruce. These natural sandstone caves are the pilgrimage of many a visitor (and local) from either the car park at Machrie or the more enduring walk from Blackwaterfoot.

There can't be many instances when a photographer feels they could be the first one to capture a given image of the landscape, certainly in a viewpoint perspective, but I'm quietly confident that this may just be the case with this shot?

I'll hold my breath until someone tells me otherwise!

The Quadcopter with HD camera

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<<Previous

Beautiful morning in Blackwaterfoot

Road to the Clouds?

"Secrets of Arran" a book by Christina Kelly

Black Forest Scones to die for . . .

Janie's Tea Room in Brodick

'All Weather' Beach Walk at Blackwaterfoot

Movies come to Arran with the mighty Screen Machine

Our Island Cinema

Films showing this week in Brodick

Take a look at Screen Machine arriving on Mull

The Isle of Arran in Vintage Postcards

Wonderful Images of the Past available to buy

Enjoying afternoon sunshine at The Drift Inn

Islands of Pladda and Ailsa Craig seen from Kildonan beach on Arran

Pladda

Ailsa Craig

King's Caves Photography with Aerial Drone

Unique viewpoint adds drama to the location

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