CYCLING NORTHERN HALF OF ARRAN

our first attempt to cycling outside of edinburgh really.. we were really keen, Bea picked up her new bike a night before we left to arran, i had my bike for two weeks then.

we weren't sure how much we will manage to cycle and we didn't push it too much (which we now regret, we should have tried to come back to campsite ... but it was via string road)

next time! 

anyway, we started at bridge end campsite and cycled northern part of arran, to brodick. 

below is a short description:

1. bridge end to blackwaterfoot - down the hill

2. blackwaterfoot to tormore- up and down, i remember two biggish hills

3. tormore to imachar - flat :) along the sea shore, very nice

4. imachar to lochranza - 12% hill to imachar, then relatively flat, some small 'ups', really nice

5. lochranza to sannox - just past lochranza is a big hill and it drags for a couple of miles, but as soon as you reach the 'summit' (near small bridge) that's you done, it is down the hill to sannox and further to brodick

6. sannox to brodick - down the hill or flat, easy ride and very enjoyable

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pierwszy raz zabieramy rowery poza edynburg iobie bylysmy bardzo 'napalone' na ten wyjazd... bea odebrala swoj nowy rower dzien przed wyjazdem, ja mialam moj juz od 2 tygodni..

nie bylysmy pewne ile uda nam sie przejechac i nie czulysmy jakiejs wielkiej presji (a szkoda, bo powinnysmy byly jeszcze sprobowac dojechac do kampingu, przez string road) , coz, nastepnym razem :)

zaczelysmy od kampingu w bridge end i objechalysmy polnocna czesc arranu az do brodick

krotkie info:

1. bridge end do blackwaterfoot - z gorki

2. blackwaterfoot do tormore -roznie, pamietam ze byly dwie 'wieksze' gorki

3. tormore do imachar -plasko, wzdloz wybrzeza, fajnie

4. imachar do lochranza -12% gorka na poczatek, potem dosc plasko, hilka malych gorek, fajnie!

5. lochranza do sannox - zaraz za lochranza zaczyna sie porzadna gorka, kilka mil pod gore.. ale jak juz sie na nia wjedzie to potem w sumie az do brodick jest z gorki

6. sannox do brodick- najpierw z gorki a potem plasko, latwo i milo :)

map copyright ordnance survey

@ corrie

one of the most interesting places on arran, if you're into geology :)

jadno z najbardziej ciekawych geologicznie miejsc na arranie

sannox

lochranza

easy rider :)

machrie

sannox

lochranza

GOATFELL - climbing the roof of arran

our first visit to isle of arran 

finally, after years and years of talking about it, 2 failed attempts (due to weather/ferry disruptions etc) we set out feet in brodick. and what was the reason for going to arran? cycling! bikes, oh bikes, our new bikes made us go there :) but apart from cycling we still had time for other activities

goatfell is the highest mountain on arran, 874m (only??!! some would say), but taking into account that climb starts at sea level, gained height is just the same as when climbing munros. so dont let it fool you, climbing goatfell is still a hard work and effort. well worth it, may i add :)

there are a couple of paths leading to goatfell, from brodick and corrie. we opted for more adventurous option - from corrie. getting to the car park was an adventure in itself - when we turned from the main road (there is a little signpost 'path to goatfell') we faced a tiny (and i do mean it - tiny wee, hardly drivable) road. for those who are not kamikazee, or maybe not familiar with mountain roads or just feel uncomfortable driving a narrow single track road with no passing places, and no passing options really as road is lined with shrubs, wall, fence... (i prayed to god that nobody drives opposite direction while i climb up).. i got carried away i see, so if somebody is not comfortable with a thought driving there, please leave the car at the main road - it's only 1 mile from main road to the car park, easily walkable. 

when we finally arrived at the car park i was sooooo relieved! we quickly took our stuff and began to walk. there is a clear path all the way up, at first it goes thru woodland, then crosses the fence (gate) and enters an open moorland....

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to nasza pierwsza wizyta na wyspie arran

w koncu udalo nam sie tam dotrzec - po kilku latach planowania i nawet kilku 'juz tuz tuz' kiedy nie powiodlo sie z powodu pogody czy problemow z promami.. no w koncu nasze nogi postaly w brodick. och, a jaki w koncu nas powod zainspirowal by jechac na arran? rowery! rowery, nasze nowe rowery nam kazaly :) no, ale poza faktem ze arran jest mekka rowerzystow, jest tam jeszcze wiele innych rzeczy do roboty :)

goatfell jest najwyzszym szczytem arranu, 874m (ktos powiedzialby ze TYLKO), ale biorac pod uwage ze wejscie na goatfell zaczyna sie od poziomu morza , to jednak mozna sie umeczyc zdobywajac cala ta wysokosc. niech was nie zwiedzie mysl ze to tylko mala gorka, wciaz mozna sie nasapac!

na goatfell prowadzi kilka sciezek, zaczynaja sie brodick, corrie, z corrie sciezka jest nieco trudniejsza i dluzsza wiec postanowilysmy sprawdzic wlasnie ja. juz sam wjazd do parkingu skad zaczyna sie szlak jest 'przygoda'. w momencie kiedy skrecilysmy z glownej drogi (jest znak) okazalo sie ze przed nami jest malutenka, maciupka drozka. jesli nie jest sie kamikazee albo nie jest sie zaprawionym kierowca doswiadczonym na gorskich drogach, albo jesli ktos po prostu nie czuje sie komfortowo na waskiej jednopasmoweczce bez miejsc do omijania, a cala droga jest ciasno otulona albo krzakami, murkiem czy plotem... (jak ja sie modlilam zeby nikt nie nadjechal z przeciwnego kierunku kiedy jechalysmy pod gore) .. widze ze mnie troszke ponioslo..  w kazdym razie jesli ktos czuje sie niekomfortowo w takich warunkach polecam zostawic samochod przy glownej drodze - stamtad do parkingu jest tylko 1.5 km

kiedy w koncu dojechalysmy do parkingu poczulam taaaaka ulge! szybko zabralysmy co trzeba i zaczelysmy nasz maly trek. sciezka jest porzadna, dobrze widoczna, najpierw wiedzie przez lasek, a potem przechodzimy bramke i nagle jestesmy na wielkiej otwartej przestrzeni wrzosowiska...

route of the day. blue-marked is the nasty road up, it may be better to leave car at the main road

trasa dnia, na niebiesko zaznaczylam ta paskudna droge, mozna zostawic samochod przy glownej szosie

map copyright ordnance survey

here it is, past the gate, open moorland. path is very well made and easy to follow..

prosze bardzo, za bramka zaczyna sie wrzosowisko. jak widac, sciezka jest naprawde porzadna..

yeah, nice path but seems to be going on and on forever...and it took ages to finally reach the bealach between mullach buidhe and north goatfell. but we managed :) 

taa, sciezka fajna, ale wydawalo nam sie ze idziemy cale wieki i zanim dotarlsmy do przeleczy pomiedzy mullach buidhe i north goatfell bylysmy juz nieco sfrustrowane

view from the bealach   /   widok z przeleczy

the saddle & cir mhor

our path continues along the ridge, towards north goatfell

sciezka biegnie przy klifie, az do north goatfell

@ bealach   /  przy przeleczy

coire lan

mullach buidhe

the saddle

cir mhor

as soon as we reached the bealach we were hit by high winds

strasznie wialo na grani

@ stacach

goatfell ridge is very rocky and rugged. we tried to head straight on, but with such strong wind it was really dangerous. we turned back and headed down to the bypass path

gran goatfell jest bardzo skalista. probowalysmy ja przejsc idac po samym 'ostrzu', ale przy takim wietrze bylo to po prostu niebezpieczne. zawrocilysmy i zeszlysmy nieco nizej, na sciezke ktora omija trudnosci i jest oslonieta

ferry from ardrossan to brodick

prom z ardrossan do brodick

north goatfell

the ridge  / gran

north goatfell

almost there!   prawie jestesmy!

goatfell

summit  /  szczyt

nice big slabs, amazing views around..

fajne, ogromne glazy, niesamowite widoki

on the roof of arran!   /    na dachu wyspy arran!

view from the summit towards brodick

widok ze szczytu w strone brodick

path down from the summit was a bit challenging at times, scree and loose rocks, but soon we reached the fork (one leg going to brodick, the other to corrie)

from there it was again easy to follow down and took us back to the car park 

DINO FOOTPRINTS HUNTING @ staffin

short visit to staffin beach, in search of dinosaur footprints.

successful :) 

so, how to get there? turn towards the sea just before staffin (coming from the south), signpost 'so the beach'. after about 5 mins drive you will arrive to a car park with information board (with dino footprints sign), it's there. if you get as far as the jetty, turn back, it's only 200 yards away

oh, yes, you need low tide as well :)

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krotka wizyta na plazy staffin, w poszukowaniu odciskow lap dinozaurow.

sukces :)

no wiec jak je znalezc? zaraz przed staffin (jadac od poludnia) nalezy skrecic w strone morza, jest drogowskaz 'to the beach'. po okolo 10 min jazdy docieracie do parkingu z tablica informacyjna (i rysunkiem odcisku stopy dinozaura). to tu.

jesli przegapiliscie i dojechaliscie az do konca (malutkiej przystani) zawroccie, jestescie jakies 200m za daleko

aha, slady zobaczycie tylko podczas odplywu

funny rocks at staffin beach, i guess these are pressed shells + volcanic ash

smieszne skaly na plazy, mysle ze to sa 'sprasowane' muszle i popiol wulkaniczny

we found 3 definite footprints  /  znalezlismy conajmniej 3 odciski

busy with the dino hunters :)   /   dosc wielu poszukiwaczy sladow bylo 

sand+wind+low tide

piasek+wiatr+odplyw

staffin & quiraing

towards torridon

staffin

flodigarry