The pleasure of weighing anchor in your own backyard.

As we waited at Brodick pier for the ferry back to Ardrossan, there was a change in the air. High cirrus clouds streaked across the sky...

...and at lower level, thick clouds from the NW spilled over the rocky ridges of Arran.
 

The MV Caledonian Isles arrived bang on time and...

...we trollied our kayaks onto the car deck. Before we left Brodick, we were in the cafeteria enjoying chicen patia, rice and nan bread washed down with some Arran Blonde Ale.

We had just not long left Brodick, when the forecast wind suddenly got up with a vengeance. We were very glad we had left Kildonan early that morning. This NW wind also explained the increasing northerly swell we had encountered after leaving Holy Island.

As we approached Ardrossan, the ship's Tannoy announced "Would all drivers and their passengers please return to the car deck." We assumed that this included kayakers.

All too soon we were back in the car park and our Arran adventure was well and truly over.

136km may not sound much as great expeditions go, but for us it was a wonderful escape. It was one of the best holidays we had ever had and all the sweeter as it was in our own backyard. It was also in the land of our ancestors!

A final downwind blast back to Brodick.

From Clauchlands Point to Corriegills Point  the coastline of Arran is an untamed, road-less wilderness of steep, rocky slopes tumbling to the sea. Buzzards and an eagle soared overhead.

The view of the Arran ridges became very impressive with Beinn Tarsuin 826m, A'Chir 745m and Goatfell 874m, dominating the skyline ahead.

 We had made such fast progress using the sails that...

 ...we nearly made the earlier ferry!

However, we arrived back at a sunny Brodick in plenty time to...

... leisurely pack our things away. What a fantastic trip we had enjoyed in a stunning spell of March weather. We relaxed in the sun and shared the highlights while we awaited the return of the MV Caledonian Isles.

Hamilton Isle, between a rock and a hard place.

From the north end of Holy Island we gradually came out of the wind shadow of its mountains and picked up a fair breeze across the north entrance to Lamlash Bay. The Bay is sheltered by Holy Island and forms an excellent natural harbour. In the dark days of WW2 it often gave shelter to ships of both the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy.

As we approached tiny Hamilton Isle (little more than a rock) we began to experience an uneasy swell coming from the north (despite the wind being from the south). The forecast was for the wind to veer to the NW and increase to F5-7 in the afternoon so we made the most of the fair wind while it lasted.

As we approached Clauchlands Point we began to see into the depths of Brodick Bay where our journey would shortly end. Several ships were anchored in the shelter of the Bay.

Before rounding the point, we stopped for a last look south towards Hamilton Isle. Mullach Mor, 314m, on Holy Island towered behind it. Arran only has three satellite isles, Holy Island (the largest), Pladda and Hamilton Isle (the smallest). Hamilton Isle used to be more accurately called Hamilton Rock.

On the 13 October 1891, a 58 ton wooden schooner, Elizabeth McClure, was wrecked on Hamilton Rock with three men aboard. She had been carrying coal, from Irvine in Scotland to Larne in Ireland, when she was caught in a violent F11 storm from the SW. Given this wind direction, it is possible that she had tried to seek shelter in Lamlash Bay and that her anchor had dragged as the storm increased.

The east coast of Holy Island

 The north east coast of Holy Island is an area of...

...stark beauty and a turbulent geological past. A bed of Old Red Sandstone is overlaid by more recent Tertiary volcanic rocks.

The cap of hard igneous rock protects the softer sandstones below. Even so, great lumps of sandstone fall off the cliffs. This landslip happened over the last winter.

It is hard to believe that this remote spot is just 50km from my house in Glasgow.

At the north end of the island we came across these Buddhist prayer poles and caught sight of...

 ...distant Goatfell. We were nearing the end of our journey.

Seeing the light on Holy Island.

After lunch we set off across the south entrance of Lamlash Bay towards the Inner Light on Holy Island. The island is now owned by Buddhist monks who have built  an increasing number of meditation retreats on the south facing slope above the lighthouse.

The lighthouse buildings are also used for lesser retreats and at the other end of the island they have built a commercial hotel for those that wish to experience Buddhism lite.

Sailing as close to the wind as possible, Mike just managed to squeeze round the south end of the island where...

 ...we passed under the stony gaze of this gorilla with its eyes fixed out to sea. It seemed lost in meditation as it somewhat ignored our passing.

 We now came to Holy Island's Outer Light...

 ...which is also used for meditation.

Only the wild ponies disturb the meditation of devotees who may spend several years at a time in isolation here.

As other Scottish lighthouses such as Turnberry* are gradually being extinguished, it is good to know that some are being put to alternative use.

*The iconic Turnberry lighthouse is due to be switched off by the Northern Lighthouse Board in 2015.

Luncheon on the rocks at Kingscross.

 A force 3 southerly wind picked up as we rounded Largybeg Point.

 We wasted no time in hoisting our sails and...

...what followed was an exhilarating downwind dash across the expanse...

 of Whiting Bay towards Kingscross Point and Holy Island.

 We landed at Kingscross at...

 ...low water so it was a bit of a trek...

 ...to the top of the beach where we cooked first luncheon...

...among the remnants of the ancient mountains of Arran.

Romance is in the air at Dippen Head.

 Leaving Kildonan there was a loud noise coming from the direction of the castle.

A loud whooh whoohing was coming from a posse of male eider ducks who were courting this solitary female. She replied with a self satisfied wha..whoo!

The coastline towards Dippen Head is dominated by the Dippen Sill...

...which is over 40m thick and composed of  a complex mixture of rocks including crinanite.

 High above the Head...

...we caught sight of five golden eagles, wheeling in some sort of courtship display. (I know this photo only has four eagles but I thought it would be cheating to paste one in from another photo!)

After Dippen Head we came to Largybeg Point and sighted Holy Island for the first time since we had left Brodick at the start of our trip.