Fresh after doing the Hadrian’s Cycle Way I’ve got this urge to cycle around Arran. I’m planning to get an early ferry next saturday. Is it best to head clockwise or anti clockwise? Any recommendations for B&B / hostels half way round. Oh and a couple of must see’s enroute. Thanks

There is an Arran Mountainbike Club website somewhere which may help.

If you are sticking to the road you can do it in a day, 57 ish miles. North is hillier south less so, depends which you want first. Don’t stay in blackwaterfoot lodge. Many places close on 31st October.

Stayed at Invermay Guest House a couple of months back. Owned by a nice couple – he’s a keen mountain biker – and very good value for money (£30pppn).
You could do most of the road ride anti-clockwise, stay in Whiting Bay, then you’re left with a fairly short ride from Whiting Bay to Brodick to catch the ferry home the next day.
Beautiful island, but some VERY big hills. We were there for the mountain biking, but took the road to the guest house. Arrived and cycled from Brodick to Whiting Bay, which is a killer of a climb, especially on Kenda Navegals, lol.
Sound guys from the local bike club showed us the trails over the next few days.

We stayed in Brodick, really nice self-catering place overlooking the bay; far enough up the hill to be away from the noise, close enough to walk into town.

I’ve only done road riding round there (both ways), I preferred anti-clockwise. The road across the middle of the island is beautiful too, do it so you finish in Brodick. Superb descent. Loop round the island is about 60 miles, nice 4hrs or so at a steady pace.

Arran Cycling Club website:
http://www.arranbikeclub.com/

Touristy stuff – Brodick Castle is worth a visit, there’s a whisky distillery in the north of the island (Lochranza) and somewhere on that middle road (nr Machrie IIRC) is a big visitor centre with arts & crafts, helicopter flights over the island etc. Lots of wildlife to see, beaches to sit on, plenty of ruins and Bronze Age stone circles/burial sites.

if its just the road, I do the outer road clockwise, everytime. the hills aren’t that bad.

Its perfectly doable in a day … but check the ferry times … its better to get the 1st ferry if you’re doing it in a day it gives you a whole lot more time.

There is plenty of history as already said on Arran.

The best direction to go is the one that gives you a tailwind on the west side.

Anti clockwise is my preferred direction,done Arran several times.
Some like to do it as a figure of eight across string road.
As said tailwind on west side would be the preference though.
Plenty places to stay Auchrannie,in Brodick, is the most expensive and my favorites are Whiting Bay and Kildonan to stay.

HTH

As its been said it can easily be done in a day, i’ve done it both ways and prefered it anti-clock wise as you get all the undulating bits around the southeast out of the way but we always start from whiting bay as we have relatives there.

If you were there for two days do the whole island one day then for a shorter second day link up the string and Ross road, the climb from lamlash and descent into Lagg on the Ross road on a good day is one of my favourite bits road riding in the country.

Nick

As its been said it can easily be done in a day, i’ve done it both ways and prefered it anti-clock wise as you get all the undulating bits around the southeast out of the way but we always start from whiting bay as we have relatives there.

If you were there for two days do the whole island one day then for a shorter second day link up the string and Ross road, the climb from lamlash and descent into Lagg on the Ross road on a good day is one of my favourite bits road riding in the country.

Nick

The road in the north isn’t really hillier than the south – the north has one gert big climb, the south has lots of little climbs. The south takes more out of my legs, and can be a killer if you’ve been pushing on during an anticlockwise loop.

To answer the original question, I always do the direction based on the wind on the day. The crux is the flat exposed section on most of the west coast. So, a SW wind go clockwise, a northerly go anticlockwise.

A very good road cycle.