Isle of Arran

Who doesn't love saying that they're heading to an island for the day? Now it's your turn. Leave the bustling city of Glasgow behind for the day and head with us to Scotland in Miniature. The Isle of Arran has everything that makes Scotland lovable. You depart Glasgow and head for the coastal town of Ardrossan where you jump on the ferry. This is a beautiful crossing, so get your cameras out, and see if you can spot dolphins along the way. The ferry touches down in Brodick, Arran's biggest collection of shops and restaurants. It's a wee place, just like the whole island, but that's what we love about Arran. A short drive down the road takes you to the gates of Brodick Castle, the ancient seat of the Dukes of Hamilton. The castle's interior could not be further from the surrounding gardens. Inside you'll find rich Victorian decorations, dark wood, intricately decorated furniture, everything so dramatic and powerful. Make sure you have a chat with the staff inside, they're full of stories about those who once lived there. For much of its life, the castle has been owned by the Hamilton family and some even say that, to this day, it is haunted by the 'Grey Lady', a woman who starved to death in the dungeons of the castle. Not so cheerful. But then you step outside and explore both the formal garden and the beautiful woodland trails that hug you from all sides. After a bite to eat, you hop back on the bus and are whisked away to explore more of this beautiful island. But where will you stop? Perhaps you'll pop in at Lochranza, a quaint village that is home to a ruined castle. Or maybe you'll swing via Blackwaterfoot, grab a pastry from the local bakery, and have a wee wander along the beach. By the time you jump back on the ferry at Brodick later that afternoon, you'll feel as though you know Arran a little bit better and you'll certainly understand why so many love it fiercely. Maybe you'll look back at the photos from the day, or perhaps you'll snack on the cheese and chocolate you sourced from town, as you make your way back to Glasgow.

This is an exclusive private 2 hour walking tour for a maximum of four people. On arrival at Bellevue Farm you will be blown away by the stunning scenery looking up to the Arran hills in one direction and across the water to the Kintyre Peninsula in the other. You will receive a warm welcome from your private guide: farmer Ailsa Currie who will take you and your party on a private tour around her family's farm. Bellevue Farm is a working island farm run by 6th and 7th generation members of the Currie family. As an arable and livestock farm, Bellevue offers you the opportunity to see behind the scenes and hear the stories of life on an island farm direct from the farmer. You will truly immerse yourself in life on the farm and hear first hand what is happening on the farm that day and how farm life changes with the seasons. You will be able to hand feed the animals (including Highland cows, goats, alpacas, chickens, and seasonally: lambs, calves, pigs etc) and enjoy lots of photo opportunities to capture the lifetime memories that you will be making. As the farm also supplies barley for the local distillery you may wish to visit one of the barley fields to see the barley growing (season dependent) that will later become local whisky. Bellevue Farm is proud to have achieved a Gold Green Tourism award and Ailsa will tell you about the activities and processes that are carried out on the farm to make it a very sustainable practice. At the end of your private tour you will be able to sit with Ailsa back at the farm house and over a coffee and biscuits you can ask any questions that you haven't raised during the tour.