North of Arran
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The desolate north half of Arran - effectively the Highland part - features bare granite peaks, the occasional golden eagle and miles of unspoilt scenery, within reach only to those prepared to do some serious hiking. Arran's most accessible peak is also the island's highest, Goat Fell (2866ft) - take your pick from the Gaelic, goath, meaning "windy", or the Norse, geit-fjall, "goat mountain" - which can be ascended in just three hours from Brodick or from Corrie (return journey 5hr), though it's a strenuous hike.
Another good base for hiking is the pretty little seaside village of CORRIE, six miles north of Brodick, where a procession of pristine cottages lines the road to Lochranza and wraps itself around an exquisite little harbour and pier. The top choice for accommodation is Blackrock (tel 01770/810282, www.arran.net/corrie/blackrock; £40-50), a large, traditional seafront guest house on the edge of the village. A good budget option is the North High Corrie Croft, a bunkhouse (tel 01770/302203), ten minutes' steep climb above the village on a raised beach; it has one large room for group bookings, and an annexe with eight beds (advance booking advisable). Corrie Golf Club, confusingly in Sannox, offers good-value meals all day in summer.
The ruined castle which occupies the mud flats of the bay, and the brooding north-facing slopes of the mountains which frame it, make for one of the most spectacular settings on the island - yet LOCHRANZA, despite being the only place of any size in this sparsely populated area, attracts far fewer visitors than Arran's southern resorts. The castle is worth a brief look inside (get the key from the post office), but Lochranza's main sight now is the island's brand new whisky distillery (April-Oct daily 10am-5pm; Nov-March phone 01770/830264, www.arranwhisky.com; £3.50), a pristine complex distinguished by its pagoda-style roofs at the south end of the village. The tours are entertaining and slick, and end with a free sample of the island's newly emerging single malt. The finest accommodation is to be had at the superb Apple Lodge (tel 01770/830229, applelodge@easicom.com; £60-70), the old village manse where you'll get excellent home-cooking, or at Butt Lodge (tel 01770/830240, www.buttlodge.co.uk; £60-70; March-Oct), another hotel with real character (and real log fires). Cheaper, but equally welcoming, is the Lochranza Hotel (tel 01770/830223, www.lochranza.co.uk; £40-50), whose bar is the centre of the local social scene. Lochranza also has an SYHA hostel (tel 01770/830631, www.syha.org.uk; closed Jan), situated halfway between the distillery and the castle, and a well-equipped campsite (tel 01770/830273, www.arran.net/lochranza; April-Oct) beautifully placed by the golf course on the Brodick Road, where deer come to graze in the early evening. The best place to eat is the inexpensive but excellent Harold's restaurant, a state-of-the-art place in the distillery (tel 01770/830264; closed Mon eve). If you're just passing through, you can also get decent food at the Pier Tearoom, situated opposite the CalMac terminal, which doubles as a licensed restaurant, with good views across to Kintyre.
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