Arran and Cumbrae area profile
The island of Arran lies in the Firth of Clyde between the Ayrshire mainland and Kintyre. The population of the island is around 4,500 and residents chiefly inhabit a string of picturesque villages along the 25 mile coastline. The main settlements are Brodick, Corrie, Lamlash, Lochranza, Pirnmill, Kilmory, Shiskine and Whiting Bay. The island of Great Cumbrae is the most accessible island from mainland Scotland with a 10 minute ferry crossing from Largs in mainland Ayrshire. The indigenous population is just over 1,300 people and the main settlement is Millport, which has been described as a "perfectly preserved" Victorian seaside town, complete with cathedral and the narrowest house in Britain. The local authority for both islands is North Ayrshire Council. Transport Ferries: Arran is served by two ferry crossings operated by Caledonian MacBrayne. The main ferry plies between Ardrossan in Ayrshire and Brodick on the east coast of the island and operates all year round. Crossing time is around 55 minutes. In summer there is also a ferry between Kintyre and Arran crossing between Claonaig on the mainland and Lochranza, with a sailing time of approximately 25 minutes. A daily service runs between Tarbert and Lochranza (approximately 75 minutes) in the winter as an extension of the Tarbert Portavadie ferry. Caledonian MacBrayne also operate the short ferry service from Largs to Cumbrae. Road: Externally, there are excellent road links from Ardrossan and Largs to Scotland's central belt with Glasgow under an hour away by car. There is also a frequent bus service to Glasgow and other parts of Ayrshire. On the Kintyre side a fifteen minute drive on a single track road will lead drivers on to the A83 a few miles south of Tarbert. Internally, Arran has one main road which follows the coast. Cumbrae has around 10.5 miles of road which follows a coastline circuit and is ideal for cyclists, with bicycles availble for hire from a number of outlets in Millport. Rail: There are rail terminals at Ardrossan and Largs which allow passengers going to and from Glasgow to link with the ferries on both islands.
Education Arran has one secondary school, Arran High, which is linked to a network of feeder primary schools at Brodick, Corrie, Kilmory, Lamlash, Pirnmill, Shiskine and Whiting Bay. Provision of further education is through the Argyll College learning centre at Lamlash. Cumbrae has one primary school, Cumbrae Primary, with pupils transferring to nearby Largs Academy on the mainland. Glasgow University's Marine Biological Station is situated at Millport and Sport Scotland has recently opened its national centre for watersports on Cumbrae. Healthcare provision There are small hospitals on Arran at Lamlash and on Cumbrae at Millport. Arrangements are in place to support patients who need to travel to mainland Ayrshire and Glasgow for treatment in larger hospitals. There are doctor's surgeries at Brodick, Lochranza, Lamlash and Corrie on Arran and the island also supports a dental practice at Brodick. Cumbrae has a doctors' surgery in Millport and the nearest dentist is on the mainland at Largs. Provision of health service care is covered by Ayrshire and Arran Health Board on both islands. General The main shopping centre on Arran is Brodick and the island also supports a network of village stores, post offices and restaurants. Arran has a well deserved reputation as a tourist destination catering in particular for visitors interested in sailing, walking, climbing and golf. In addition to tourism Arran supports a number of successful enterprises which have found global markets including whisky distilling, brewing, preserves, ceramics, toiletries and confectionery. Arran plays host to a number of high profile events including a Folk Festival and Feis (Gaelic cultural festival) and also has a reputation as a gourmet's paradise, linked to the Arran Taste Trail. Millport supports a number of small shops, many of which are tourism related. The close proximity of the mainland in general and Largs in particular ensures that any commodity not availble on the island can be sourced relatively easily and quickly. Predominantly a tourist destination, the majority of businesses on the island operate in this sector and can be found in the Cumbrae Business Directory. A key event for the island is the Millport Country and Western Festival which is held annually in August. Associated websites |