{"id":14984,"date":"2022-03-21T07:55:06","date_gmt":"2022-03-21T06:55:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/?p=20203"},"modified":"2022-03-21T10:22:22","modified_gmt":"2022-03-21T09:22:22","slug":"walk-lochranza-and-beinn-bhreac-isle-of-arran","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/walk-lochranza-and-beinn-bhreac-isle-of-arran\/","title":{"rendered":"Walk: Lochranza and Beinn Bhreac, Isle of Arran"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Anthony Burton\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 21 March 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

<\/p>\n

Arran has many attractions, but if you are looking for peaceful surroundings, rugged Highland scenery and spectacular wildlife, the place to go is Lochranza at the very northern tip of the island.<\/p>\n

A walk here on a warm summer\u2019s day is truly memorable, as there is\u00a0a good chance of seeing golden eagles quartering the moorland looking for anything that stirs that might be their next meal. This alone makes the walk a marvellous experience, but you\u2019re also likely to see herds of red deer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

No one can guarantee that everyone who comes this way will see both eagles and red deer, but there is a very good chance that you will \u2013 and even if you are very unlucky, this is still a wonderful Highland walk to enjoy.<\/p>\n

\""Castle\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Lochranza Castle, Isle of Arran\/Credit: travellinglight, Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Lochranza and Beinn Bhreac walk<\/h2>\n

10 miles\/16km | 7 hours | challenging\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

1. Castles and whisky<\/strong><\/p>\n

The walk starts at the Lochranza Hotel<\/a>, and takes the road heading inland and passing the ruined castle on the promontory. It appears like a typical late medieval tower house but is actually built from a much earlier hall on this site.<\/p>\n

Stay on the road past the Youth Hostel and the new Arran Distillery<\/a> where they make fine single malt whisky. Just before reaching the little bridge, turn right onto the path up Gleann Easan Biorach.<\/p>\n

There is an obvious track beside the clear waters of the little river, but it soon becomes much rougher and stonier as the river gets busier, tumbling through a series of falls in a rocky gorge. It is now that you need to keep binoculars handy, for this is eagle territory.<\/p>\n

\""Bird\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Look for majestic golden eagles as you walk\/Credit: Javier Fern\u00e1ndez S\u00e1nchez, Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

2. Head to the top<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is a steady climb and up ahead the view to the left is dominated by the rugged summit of Arran\u2019s highest mountain Goat Fell. Then the path levels out and enters a stretch of often boggy moorland before beginning to climb again, leaving the rather soggy land behind, towards the shapely hill of Beinn Bhreac.<\/p>\n

This section of the walk ends at Loch na Davie. The water here is remarkably pure \u2013 one of the factors that led to the decision to build the distillery in the 1990s. As whisky connoisseurs know, it is the quality of Highland water that makes the whisky special. Those who are looking for a short walk can retrace their steps, but those who are prepared to go further can turn this into a circular walk \u2013 a great deal of which will now be downhill and quite easy going.<\/p>\n

You may also like:<\/p>\n