WALK: Goatfell, Arran, Ayrshire
A wild island adventure
From the streets of Scotland’s second city to the summit of an island fell, in just a few short hours, Joe Pontin enjoys an exhilarating escape
From Arran’s shores, the mountain muscles upwards, its broad granite shoulders hoisting high a purple peak so proud and solitary that it seems to belong to a storybook Scotland, something halfremembered from childhood bedtimes.
Grand, romantic, beautiful, Goatfell is the first proper hill I ever climbed. At 874m, it’s 40m too short to be a Munro, but as your walk starts at sea level, it’s no cinch, and summiting brings a whiskywarm sense of achievement.
CITY TO FELL
From the city of Glasgow, just a couple of hours’ journey by train and boat brings you to the foot of Goatfell. The classic route ascends steadily from the port of Brodick through forest to sweeping slopes of rough grass and heather and at last to those vast shoulders of wind-scoured rock that lead to the summit.
The Corrie route is more of a test, rising steeply from this scattered settlement on Arran’s eastern coast via the tumbling Corrie Burn to reach the vast amphitheatre of Coire Lan. Here I crossed the water and swung south and then west on to the rocky ridge of Meall Breac. The going was steep and rocky; knees and calf muscles strained (and creaked all the way down again).
SUMMIT SURPRISE
On a clear day, the summit is a revelation. Not only the ragged ribbon of coastline encircling Arran; the tiny ferry steaming from Brodick Harbour; the long sleepy limbs of Kintyre basking in grey waters to the west; beyond the scattered islands of Jura, Islay; or the brooding Mountains of Mourne to the south. What really surprised me was that once at its high point, the Goatfell I had imagined differed so sharply from the real thing. Like so many things in life, Arran’s mountainous high ground turns out to be more complex than it first seems: a high ridge that jags in a crazed loop around the deep green U of Glen Rosa, connecting three crumbling citadels: Cìr Mhòr, Beinn Tarsuinn, Beinn Nuis.
One day, I thought, I will be back to walk them, too. Weary but proud, I turned and began the long descent.
GETTING THERE
From Glasgow Central Station, the train takes around 45 minutes to reach Ardossan Harbour. From there, a 55-minute ferry journey brings you to Brodick, Arran’s main town. A combined return train and ferry ticket costs from £17.80 (scotrail.co.uk). The ferry also takes cars (£34.20 return; booking advised; calmac.co.uk).
Features editor Joe loves exploring rural places, from lofty peaks to lonely hillforts.