Must Do Arran Routes?

Off to the Isle of Arran tomorrow with the family for 5 days. I’m going to take the bike and hope to ride twice. Although I may only get to ride the once.

We’re staying in Lochranza so my current thinking is combine both the Lochranza Loop and Laggan route from the Arran Bike Club website.

Think I’d ride to Fairy Dell then back round the coast and up and over to Laggan down to Sannox before the stretch back. Is this feasible as a half day route? Is it any good?

The other is the Clauchlands route. Although, logistically it would mean the missus dropping me off in Brodick (we’re in a camper).

A V Publishing guide book I’ve got has a Goat Fell route. Again, a trip down the road and drop off.

Any others people would recommend? Should I do Clauchlands instead?

go to the old pier cafe in Lochranza greatest cake and pastries in the world. As for the riding
You’ve probably got it Sussed from that list, Arran mountain bike club have some routes and have done some trail building which are ok but a lot of it holds water. The southern bit is not extreme at all. I’ve not ridden goat fell area
But looks as if it should have somebig Scottish hike a bike in it. In summary old pier cafe.

The Clauchlands Route is brilliant, really nice natural singletrack, it’s definitely worth doing.

There is also a nice route past Glenashdale Falls near Whiting Bay.

Here is the route I did.

Route

Old Pier cafe do the best sausage rolls in the world, fresh out the oven, and my favourite beer garden is virtually next door!.

The routes you suggest are fine, but I’d do the Laggan cottage loop the opposite way – Ride the road to sannox, then along the coastal path and up n over to Lochranza, gives a far better descent that way.

Goatfell is ace from about 2000ft down, wouldn’t bother going any higher.

Thanks folks.

Old Pier Café it is then 🙂

That route looks similar to the Classic Route on the Arran Bike Club site @richmtb Will keep that as a backup I think 🙂

The ABC site and MBR have the Laggan route running the other way @Nobeerinthefridge. The ABC route states a slippy, steep
grassy singletrack descent. What’s it like descending into Lochranza?

Not been for about 5 years, so things may have changed

Lochranza-Laggan-Sannox is great (cresting the ridge is stunning), but the return part of that loop is half road, half indistinct track through bog, so try and get your other half to pick you up ! I’d ride on down taking in Brodick Castle, Glen Cloy and Clauchlands – the ridge itself works better E-W, but the descent South from the East end is another that really sticks in the memory.

My memory is a bit hazy further south, but I do remember a stunning waterfall and a great hairpin climb

The ABC site and MBR have the Laggan route running the other way @Nobeerinthefridge. The ABC route states a slippy, steep
grassy singletrack descent. What’s it like descending into Lochranza?

I think that there is an assumption that most people will do it from Brodick end, so out on the road and back along the coastal path. Yes, it’s a grassy descent from the top down to Laggan cottage, but the descent going in the other direction is an old coffin path, quite rocky and wayyy more fun.

The best advice I can give you is to give the bike club a ping on Facebook, Gerard or Brodie will be pleased to show you around I’m sure.

Thanks @Nobeerinthefridge FB page seems to indicate the club is riding the Arran End to Enduro on Sunday starting from…Lochranza. Which could tick all boxes.

All I need now is permission from management 🙂

If not I’ll ride Lochranza/Laggan and push for the Classic another day.

Did that a few years back with the club, Go for it, tis a long day mind – about 70k from Lochranza to Kildonan, and you’ll need picked up by ‘er indoors at the end.

Following this thread with interest as also off to Arran for a week in September. Liking the sound of Goat Fell hike a bike.

Gordon, when are you there? You can cycle up the main path until about the top of the tree line, then it’s hike a bike, but there is an access path from the hydro dam to the north of the main path that is cycleable all the way, and brings you out at clegg bridge, which is about 1/3 of the way up.

There is another big mountain ride which I know has been ridden, and I’m keen to do it, but not publicising it. I’m away from 11-18 of sept, if your up either side of that, I’d maybe be able to join you.

Email addy in profile.

Blonde and Sunset mm mm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmhhhh nectar of the gods.

Aye, can’t do the end to enduro as I’m the only one driving. Sat in the sunshine at Lochranza now and have scoped the route having done some walking earlier this morning. Looking forward to Laggan in reverse and a trip round the headland to Fairy Dell and back. Hopefully get to do the Classic on Tues too. The weather forecast is looking very positive also.

The wee cafe at Corrie golf club does really good cake, filter coffee mind, but good cake. Another place that’s good for food is shiskine golf club, drift inn at Lamlash is really good too, has an awesome beer garden and does some wicked beers on draught.

Cheers fella. Will stop by if we’re round that way. Ended with F&C from Hooked & Cooked in Brodick for tea. Washed down with a couple of beers once back at the site.

Well I rode Laggan in reverse and added Fairy Dell loop for good measure. I enjoyed it. Although I was cursing at a couple of bad route decisions that added at least 30 mins and 2km.

I opted to ride the traverse along the hill side rather than road from Lochranza to Sannox. Schoolboy error. Difficult to navigate with being overgrown and completely saturated and bog like.

I also went right after the climb up from Laggan Cottage. After a while I realised I couldn’t have been right. Looked up to see the Arran lads riding further up and made my way back.

Final rocky descent was good. Although Id have also been happy with the descent to Laggan (which is probably longer but less tech). Enjoyed Fairy Dell switchbacks too. Quite thankful I was able to hoon both of these without walkers.

Hope to ride the Classic on Tues.

Leave the bike and head up over the ridges on foot – Witches Step or Cir Mhor / Bienn Tarsuinn are great days out.

Good stuff, Chippy in Brodick is a good un, used to be awful as well.

You can also do a pretty decent route around Brodick castle using the paths in the grounds and the lower section of the Goat fell path. I generally ride out from Brodick itself along the coastal path. Strava stalking should show most stuff and there is a NTS leaflet online showing all the paths in the castle grounds. There is a cake stop at the castle too :-).

The first half of this is filmed around the castle/glen rosa. Second half is corrie an lochain which is a short ride/push/carry tech fest.

Balfa, the guys from ABC do that Coire fhionn lochain ride, but instead of an out and back, they head up onto the ridge above (Beinn Bhreac IIRC) and descend off that.

Looks a nice descent the way you did it though.

Thanks Nobeerinthefridge, I’ve tried similar before. I’ve also taken the sheeptrack that leads down into Glen Catacol to meet the path and then down to Catacol itself. The upper reaches of the Glen Catacol path are hard work though so no plans for a repeat!

Just back from a week there. Mostly family days out, took the kids up Cir Mhor saw golden eagles, rockpooling, the Castle etc. All great stuff.

Mrs Yak and I also sneaked some quick early am rides in too. Based in Brodick, we rode variations of the Clauchlands route and classic route, just picking the good bits to get the rides between 1 – 1.5hrs approx. The Clauchlands route is great with a lovely descent from the cairn above Dun Fion. The descent from Dun Fion down to the pill box above Clauchlands Point is dreadful though. Well, i imagine it’s great in winter – lovely cliff-top singletrack, but now – it’s head height bracken-bashing. Other than that – all good riding with stunning views, lots of wildlife and well worth a an hour or so on a bike.

Would love to do some of the big rides out too, but those will have to wait for another trip.

We are going to be there next week, this thread has made me realise how unprepared I am. Not sure I will be able to navigate any of the routes on my own but will hopefully be able to hook up with the club ride on Thursday evening.

I just printed these off. Easy to follow.

http://www.arranbikeclub.com/routes

^^^^ the downloads on the club site are good – armed with them and a Landranger it’s pretty easy. The twisty sections on the classic between Lamlash and Whiting Bay are some of my fave bits !

The Brodick Castle stuff is good too

I had planned to ride up the path on Holy Isle too, which I’ve not done before, but saw a youtube clip that looked great. Ran out of free days….next time !

A quick explore of Holy Isle would be great. From the top of Clauchlands, I could hear the gong on Holy Isle. It was about 6:45 am, so meditation, prayer, breakfast?

had planned to ride up the path on Holy Isle too, which I’ve not done before, but saw a youtube clip that looked great. Ran out of free days….next time !

No bikes allowed on the Holy isle – the Tibetan monks try to maintain peace and quiet. Flies in the face of the outdoor access laws tbh, but I respect their views.

Guy on the youtube video took his own boat.

Nobeer – I didn’t realise there was a strict no bike rule ?

We were over one afternoon and had a chat with the lady in the tearoom, she was pretty friendly but I never mentioned bikes !

The boat isnt a problem.. 🙂

Yep, no bikes, pets or alcohol. That rules you out entirely Iain! 😀

yep 🙂

Although….

Apparently the monks want wind turbines on the isle. If that happens, they can **** right off with idea of me respecting their wishes for peace and quiet. I’ll be rattling down off Mullach mhor!.

Well back in Leeds now and back at work 🙁

I rode the Clauchlands ABC route on Tuesday. That singletrack climb up to Dun Fion and then right up to the top of the ridge with the pile of stones was brutal in the heat. The bit from there down to the fire road was great fun though.

Like Yak said the coastal singletrack down to the bunker was OK but the trail was hardly visible due to fern growth and would be much more fun earlier or later in the year. The rest was bridleway really. Although bridleway with views and reasonable pleasant.

Will definitely return and look to ride a variation of the Classic, Goat Fell and if I get a pass E2E.

Like Yak said the coastal singletrack down to the bunker was OK but the trail was hardly visible due to fern growth and would be much more fun earlier or later in the year.

I went down that in early July and it was pure comedy and 2 endo’s as coulnd’t see the trail 🙂 I did it as a bit of a repeat after the main Clauchlands Loop – won’t bother again…

I think it could be fun and fast without the fern growth. Or as fast as you dare as the cliff edge did look reasonable close at times even with the ferns 🙂

Just looking reminiscing at the ABC maps now. Classic/Clauchlands Combo next time.

Give me a shout when your back up, I’d be glad to show you around.

Thanks for the Old Pier Cafe tip we liked it a lot, also the Sandwich station in Lochranza – I only got 1 bite of the cookie from there but it was amazing.

Got 2 rides in 4 days so not a disaster. I think we’ll be back when we can afford to not camp since Kildonan was outrageously windy.