Visit Arran (A to Z challenge)

Visit Arran stand

 Visit Arran works tirelessly to promote our little island as a tourist destination.  The Isle of Arran is known as Scotland in Miniature as it seems to have everything, in particular mountains and wildlife (red squirrel, red deer, golden eagle, seals and otters).

Sheila in the office

Sheila runs the day to day working, getting businesses on board, going to exhibitions, running the website & social media and is supported by a board of directors.  Amazingly, the ferry to Arran is only an hour from Glasgow on the direct train line (a bit less by car).  And if you've been following this blogging challenge you will already know a little about the island and some things that can be found.

Find Visit Arran at an exhibition and you may get a free bag!

177th Arran Farmers Society Show

Overhead Winner

I've been to many a farmers show, from small villages up to the the huge events held in Yorkshire and Lancashire.  I much prefer the smaller ones as I can see everything and not feel like I've stumbled into a large car boot sale!

Sheep pose for a photo

Arran's event is held every year on the first Wednesday in August.  Last year was a bit of a wash out but this year after an early morning shower it stayed dry and actually sunny in the afternoon.

One of the fine bulls on show

Marvin Elliott was sculpting with his chainsaw (see previous blog), COAST had a touchy feely tank full of sea creatures, the Forestry Commission and rangers were there along with the food stalls, beer tents, and the Douglas Cocktail bar!

Vintage tractor parade

 Vintage tractors paraded, the Arran pipe band played and there was a fantastic display by Duncan and Ali of the Clan cycle stunt team.

One of the birds from Arran bird of prey centre

Meanwhile the competitors vied for position showing off livestock, horsemanship and dog obedience! For those who wanted a dog agility course was available to try - you could even borrow a dog!  The overall winner was a Holstein cow, from Stewart Reid in Lamlash.

Sheep riding - not a competitive sport!

Butter churning, spinning & weaving and birds of prey were other attractions, not to mention sampling some of the local food and of course whisky!

The Clan cycle stunt team

But for me its the livestock that make the show, all the time that it takes to present the animals in tip top condition, coats groomed, horns and hooves oiled, and cattle trained to harness (although some made the odd bid for freedom).

One of the many horse competitors

More pictures can be seen here for The Clan Cycle Stunt Team and here for the Farmers Show.

Walking stick carving

Beachcombing on Arran

1. Sannox beach

Beachcombing and rock pooling are great to pass an hour or two regardless of the weather.  It goes without saying the Arran has some beautiful beaches and plenty of them - being an Island! But not having an hour or two and in need of something for my blog, I challenged myself to photograph 10 different things, on the beach, in 15 minutes.  Setting photographic challenges for myself are good practice and loads of fun.

2. Driftwood

Beautiful sandy beaches can be found at Kildonan, Machrie, Sannox, Brodick, Blackwaterfoot and Kilmory (to name a few) but predominantly the beaches are pebble. Sannox just happened to be my port of call for these photo's - possibly not my best choice (sand and cameras are not very compatible) but that was my location so off I set, parking in the lay-by and using the stepping stones to access the beach (3 minutes gone already!)

3. Bivalve seashell (unknown type)

Sand or pebble all have tides which leave debris on the high tide mark, perfect for a bit of extra scrutiny. It's easy just to walk along the tide line and not really see what's under our feet - or maybe we're distracted by the sea birds and scenery?

4. Periwinkle

The day was really quite pleasant, a little breezy with the sun poking out every now and again.  The beach was deserted - not unusual for Arran! Most of the debris looked fairly routine, limpets, razor clam and mussel shells, seaweed, nylon fishing net and bits of drift wood. And I have to say, not a lot of plastic.

5. Whelks and limpets

But then the bright yellow periwinkles caught my eye and some whelks. Periwinkles come in a range of colours from white to orange with red stripes.

6. Seaweed, probably a type of wrack.

On picking through a patch of seaweed I noticed the fine detail on the leaf, which I think are called 'blades'.  Seaweed is a fascinating plant, it can survive extremely saltly water, being submerged for hours in freezing temperatures, drying out in baking sunshine, being battered by storms and feet and manages to survive! The seaweed on the shore varies and the ones found nearer the upper and middle shore have longer blades and often have 'bubbles' or floats.  Those nearer the lower shore have broader blades, but this is a big generalisation! The seaweed I looked at was a type of wrack, but I don't know which one.

7. Worm casts on shell

A bit more digging and I found the remains of a crab.

8. Eye socket of crab shell

Then a dried out starfish with only 4 legs left.

9. Remains of a starfish

And it was back to the seaweed.  This is part of the root system known as a hold fast.  But I'm not duplicating a photo of seaweed here.  I draw your attention to the fine white bone like chains entwined within.  I've no idea what they are but that was photo 10. Challenge complete and within the 15 minutes! Even though I got distracted with some duplicates (see more below).

10. Fine bone like structure entwined in seaweed holdfast.

3a. The beautiful shiny inside of the shell

4a. A white periwinkle

8a.  A crabs claw

Ancient historical carvings on Arran

Some of the rings

Arran is seeped in history and I've previously done a blog on the carvings at Kings Cave which proved popular so here's another site that is less well known.  Just outside of Brodick near the start of the string road I've seen the cups and rings marked on the map and heard the odd mention of them but despite driving past the area most days there is no sign post, unlike other historical sites on Arran.  

More of the rings and a cup

So it wasn't with much expectation that I set out on a rainy day to see if I could find them (yes it was a few weeks ago, as we've not had rain for ages, and then I got distracted and did a blog on the snow).

This figure appears to walk with sticks

I had a map location but nothing more, the track is off the String Road on the left, not long after passing the grave yard.  Twenty yards up the track there is space for 2 – 3 cars to park before a barrier and I continued on foot.  Eyes peeled for anything that may look interesting I continued along the churned up muddy track for about ¼ mile.  The track turns to a small path and within 30 yards the flat stone is reached.

Is this a person with a horse (similar to Kings Caves)?

No fear of missing it, its huge! About 25 foot by 12 foot or more, some of the carvings are several feet tall.  The rock slab is in two main parts both covered in carvings, too many to describe and show photographs of, so only a few to give a taste of the site are shown.

The cups - are these indentations where tools were sharpened?

Although it is difficult to imagine the carvings were done well before the forestry arrived and they actually stand on Stronach Ridge, with views that would have been across the Beinn Nuis and the Goatfell range.

There is something a little phallic about these!

There are several guesses as to the relevance of the carvings, from sun dials to maps and it is believed they originate in the Bronze Age (c 4000 years ago).

This bird like carving is on the side of the rock and previously was covered with vegetation

They are described as cups and rings, but some look like people, and some that have only recently started to be described in texts, are like birds.  I found one that looks like a foot long dragonfly – and I can’t find this described anywhere else, so maybe its recently been uncovered; it is clear that the ground has had some clearance work done.

My 'dragonfly' 

 There even seems to be some rune or Pictish like markings towards the left side of the main rock slab.

Are these Pictish markings?

The carvings were recorded in great detail by Coles in 1901 with descriptions, drawings and some photographic plates (no trees in these!) but there are areas which were still filled with peat and vegetation.  Some of this has now been removed revealing the birds and other carvings.  This description also notes two other carved rocks a short distance away but these are now well under forest plantation.

To me this looks like a row of people, including a horse.

This is a great place to go when its wet as the water highlights the marks (but still easily seen when dry), if visiting in summer take midge repellent, and stick to the path during the stalking season!

The main slab

I have doubts on these which have recently been uncovered - are they Iron Age graffiti? 

There are no preservation measures in place for the rocks, or definitive answers to what they are, so use your imagination and leave the site as you find it.

Kilwinning Abbey

Kilwinning Abbey Ruins

 Well last week I found myself having to kill a few hours while I waited for my car to be mended at the garage in Kilwinning, just across the water from our lovely Isle of Arran.  ‘Killing time’, now that phrase sort of highlighted how many towns around this part of Scotland start with ‘Kil’.  I was in Kilwinning, then there’s Kilmarnock, Kilbride, Kilbirnie, to name a few.  The name ‘Kil’ links back to the Celtic Church, so there was no surprise to find that Kilwinning has an old Abbey. The ‘winning’ part is believed to have been taken from the name of a preacher, Winin, from the 6^th century, who built a church here and was later canonised.

Stone arches are a major feature of the remains

Despite the dull, wet and grey weather, old buildings can be great subjects for photography and so I went off in search of some inspiration.

Decorative window arches

The Abbey has a fascinating history directly linked to the first war for Scottish Independence. Bernard Linton, the Abbot of Kilwinning is credited with writing the Declaration of Arbroath (the first statement of nationhood in history).  He died in 1331 and is buried in a vault under the ruins.

“For we fight, not for glory, nor for riches, nor for honour,

but only and alone for freedom, 

which no good man gives up but with his life"

Detail remains in the stonework

The vaults under the abbey ruins are no longer accessible due to the rebuilding and extension the current Parish Church.  Occasionally archaeological digs still take place.

The new tower - built 1814

The original Abbey had three steeples, two were destroyed during the Reformation and the third by lightening 200 years later.  However, a new tower, known as the Clock tower was built between 1814 – 1816 (at a cost of £1590).  This tower was refurbished by the District Council in 1995 and is now open to visitors at limited times during the summer.  It is even possible to climb the 143 steps to the roof of the tower for great views of Ayrshire (on a fine day).  Needless to say the tower was firmly shut during my visit!

Also of interest to historians (but not photographed) is the ‘Head lodge of Scotland’.  Built in 1140, around the same time as the Abbey, this Lodge was given the number ‘0’.  The Lodge is just round the corner from the Abbey on Main Street.

A more spooky image....