Darling, sweet love of mine,

It has been some time since I've seen your face and touched your lips.
The memory fades, your smell and the taste of you vanish in a crowd of
daily impressions. However, the ache remains; the hopeless dream, the
moonless night. I might move. I might even laugh. But I cannot command
my soul. A fickle mistress tickles and squeezes my heart, and makes
me turn in vain, in pain. You know the spirit that haunts me, for it
is you; your lingering presence, when you disappear around the corner,
across the field, and beyond the sea.

I mentioned to you (did I, or was it just a dream that seemed so
real?) that I had become the hikes organiser. You smiled wryly, and asked,
with some irony, what would become of our weekends; our dates in a casual
disguise. I could not answer. As after a romantic movie, our heads were
filled with woo thoughts, so alike, but impossible to communicate without
breaking the spell.

Hold on for the next set-back: in a flash of enthousiasm I signed up
to spend a week on midgets infested, bog filled, rained off Arran;
a pimple for the coast of Scotland. While I could have visited you:
Holland, oh Holland, where broad rivers flow slowly through infinite 
lowland, where the waves strike the shores and dykes with a forceful 
rustle, where tall trees line up to the horizon, and where melancholy 
is met with a sorrowful -but so sweet- smile. 

Alas, it shalt not be.

Yours truly,

            the-bloke-who-runs-up-the-hill.



Arran, UMIST Hiking Club, 14-22 June 1997.

Arran has one main mountain range, which has a H-shaped ridge. This area
can be done in two walks, but it is nicer to take three and see both
main valleys: Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa. The ridge itself has a number
of scramble bits on big granite blocks and strains, wich classify as
quite strenuous. One top, i.e. A-Chir, is not included in the walks
since it is a tough scramble, you are welcome to find out for yourself,
the southside approach is the easiest. The approaches for the main ridge
from Brodick are the easiest, but if these routes are to crowded we can 
also start from Sannox, or even Lochranza; going up Gleann-Easan-Biorach.

There are some range of almost loose hills all over the island, most
of them without paths, so one has to walk cross country. They catagorise
in four groups. 1) Overlooking the south-east bays of Brodick and Lamlash.
2) Along the north-east coast. 3) The south central island, 400 metre peaks
on a 300 metre plateau, the southern part is covered with forest and not so
interesting except for some waterfalls. 4) The north coast ridge, which is
not so large. The loose hills on the central north part a scattered and 
separated by boggy valleys, notorious for the midgets.

The coast the north and the south have the nice bits, with high cliffs
and rocks extending into the sea. The archeological interest is mainly
on the flat bit next to the central west coast; stone circles and things
like that.

The following walks have been arranged according to starting points.

FROM BRODICK
Walking south of Glen-Rosa Water, crossing Garbh-Allt at the dam. Up
Cnoc-Breac and Beinn-a-Chliabhain onto the main ridge north of
Consolation-Tor. Bending southwards to Bein-Tarsuinn (826) and Beinn-Nuis
(792) and down again joining the road again at Garbh-Allt.
(17km, 1000m ascent)

FROM BRODICK
Up the Goat-Fell (874) from the castle. To North-Goat-Fell (818),
a detour from there to Mullach-Buidhe (829) and Cioch-na-h-Oighe (661)
and back. A scramble down the Saddle (432) and down to Brodick along
Glen-Rosa-Water.
(21km, 1200m ascent, without the detour: 15km, 1000m ascent)

FROM BRODICK
The whole horseshoe ridge around Goat-Fell (874), North-Goat-Fell
(818), the Saddle (432), Beinn-Tarsuinn (826), Beinn-Nuis (792).
(19km, 1400m ascent) 

FROM BRODICK TO SANNOX
Up Glen-Rosa over the Saddle (432) down Glen-Sannox.
(14km, 450m ascent)

FROM BRODICK TO LAMLASH
Over the hills around the bays of Brodick and Lamlash. Cnoc-Dubh (425),
A'Cruach (514), Cnoc-na-Croise (421), the Ross down to Lamlash. Possible
detour via the forward hills of Cnoc-Breac (415) and Sheeans (373).
(13km, 500m ascent)

FROM SANNOX
Up the Sannox-Burn river to the waterfall, across the moors to
the north ridge over Suidhe-Fhearghas, the Witch-Step (keep to the 
north east side  after Coire-Fhearghas to avoid a difficult scramble),
Caistal-Abhail (847), Cir-Mhor. Scramble down the Saddle (432) and 
further down Glen-Sannox water. From the Saddle, don't descent from 
the lowest point from the saddle but 100m north-west from that point at 
the cairn.
(13km, 1070m ascent)

FROM SANNOX
The same as the previous but, instead of going down, going up again at
the Saddle to do Mullach-Buidhe (829) and Cioch-na-h-Oighe (661) and off
the front, back to Sannox. The scramble of the front of Cioch-na-h-Oighe
is quite strenuous.
(15km, 1400m ascent)

FROM SANNOX TO LOCHRANZA (campsite)
Walk from Sannox-Bay  back to the campsite along the shore, via the 
"fallen (basalt) rocks".
(10km, 50m ascent)


FROM LOCHRANZA (campsite)
Walk over the northen ridge: Torr-Meadhonach (332), Creagg-Ghlas-Laggan
(444), Torr-Reamhar (261)) to Sannox-Bay, back along the shore.
(19km, 500m ascent)

FROM LOCHRANZA (campsite)
From Lochranza up Gleann-Easan-Biorach turn eastwards into Glean-Diomhan
and down to glen Catacol. Back via the road or over the coast-side hill 
Cnoc-Leacainn-Duibhe (230).
(15 km, 450m ascent, or 700m ascent with Cnoc-Leacainn-Duibhe)


FROM AUCHENCAR TO CATACOL-BAY (or LOCHRANZA)
Doing the western ridge. Inland along north side of Iorsa-Water,
till the boathouse. Up Sail-Chalmadale (480), around the outcrop. To
Bein-Bharrain (717) onto the main top; Mullach-Buidhe (721). Over
the broad ridge to Beinn-Bhreac (711) and down via Meall-Donn (586)
and Meall-Biorach (551). And if time permits also the last top on this
pathless ridge: Meall-nan-Damh (570), before ending in Catacol-Bay
(5km from the campsite).
(19km, 1200m ascent)

FROM AUCHENCAR TO LOCHRANZA
Up Glen-Iorsa to the low pass (361) at Loch-na-Davie and down
Gleann-Easan-Biorach directy to the campsite.
(17km, 361m ascent)

FROM LAIGH KILMORE TO LARGYMORE
Forest walk (marked cycling route) till Glenashdale falls, then along 
the river with some nice waterfalls down to the coast at Largymore.
(14km, 350m ascent)

FROM LAIGH KILMORE TO LARGYMORE
Along the coast, at the feet of the cliffs, around the south point of
the island. On the way: a natural arch, the black cave, and a number of
waterfalls from the cliffs.
(15km, 50m ascent)

FROM LAMLASH TO TORMORE
Over the central island hills Cnoc-na-Croise (421), Beinn-Breac (503),
Ard-Bheinn (512), across the String (the northern road across the island)
and along Machrie Water river to Tormore.
(15km, 500m ascent)

DAYTRIPS:
Brodick Castle & Garden
Holy Isle from Whiting Bay
Boat hire from Brodick