Arran and Kintyre
Scotland in Miniature
Arran and Kintyre. From the mountains to the north of the island, and the lowlands to the south, the Isle of Arran has often been referred to as a Scotland in miniature. Located in the Firth of Clyde, Arran has it all and is easily accessed by ferry. After spending a week on the island I have to agree. Like Scotland itself, the Isle of Arran is a great place to visit for a photographer. The images in the gallery also look at the nearby neighbour of the Kintyre Peninsula, a long strip of land that also has the feel of living on an island, even though the A83 guides you through the magnificent Argyll and Bute landscape to reach Campbeltown.
Over the Sea to… Arran
The Isles of Arran is located in the Firth of Clyde and can be reached by using the regular ferry service from either Ardrossan or Claonaig.. The journey across to the island was made using the MV Caledonian Isles route to Brodick on a very humid and hot day. The ferry was busy and most passengers seemed to take advantage of the breeze on deck as the ship made its way from Ardrossan to Brodick, a trip of around one and a half hours. When we think of transport we usually think of cars, buses and trains but across Scotland ships act as a vital lifeline for island communities and the Isle of Arran is no exception.
There are problems with ferry service as the strain of running a service with an ageing fleet takes it toll. Plans to renew the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet have seen costs soar, delays incurred and news headlines made as the current ferry routes encounter cancellations and changes to timetables due to increasing maintenance challenges. The original plan had been to travel on the Ardrossan to Campbeltown ferry until the entire route for 2023 had been cancelled due to a fleet shortage. At the time of writing (September 2024), MV Caledonian Isles has been out of action most of the year.
Passing Ships in the Day and Night
The Isle of Arran has a close knit community feel to it as soon as you arrive. Tourism plays a major role in the local economy as it does in many parts of Scotland, but the paddle boarders often shares the Firth of Clyde with container ships coming in and out of Port Glasgow. The Firth of Clyde has some of the deepest sea channels in Northern Europe. The close proximity to the mainland and relatively easy access to Glasgow seems to be an aspect of the isle of Arran’s location that appeals to many visitors. Why travel long distances when you can have everything on one island.
The weather may also be a factor. A series of images were taken during a very calm, quiet evening at Whitling Bay. There was barely a wave in the sea and no sound to pollute the experience. Just sitting on the picnic bench (somewhere to put the cameras) and watching the world go by, the waves gently coming in, seemed to help recharge the batteries. It was the perfect place to gather thoughts and dispense with the cacophony of modern life. The next day, however, could see larger rolling waves along with gusty winds blowing along the Firth and bringing squally showers that would quickly arrive and then disappear. Having a car to dash to was a great way of avoiding a soaking. The gusty winds provided the perfect opportunity to blow some of the cobwebs away. The images taken in Claonaig at the end of the gallery were exhilarating to take as the waves crashed against the shoreline. Even the ferry had gone over to the winter timetable.
Whisky and Cheese
Arran has two distilleries on the Island (both owned by the same company Arran Distillers) with the Lagg whisky distillery located on the south coast of the island and the Arran whisky distillery located in Lochranza to the north. As to which whisky you may prefer, well that’s all in the tasting and your own tastes but for me the Lagg was my preferred choice.
Arran is also known for its cheese, which I have to say is absolutely fantastic. Arran cheese is available in a variety of flavours, oak smoked was my favourite, and you can even get to see the cheese being made through the window in the shop. On average 1500 cheeses per day are made each day.
Island in the Mist
The photograph of the island of Ailsa Craig was taken on one such squally day where the rain could be seen making its way towards you over the sea. The conditions added an unusual light to the image as well as a softness in-between the downpours with even a little sunshine poking through the clouds briefly before dark clouds rolled in again . Located some 16 kilometres from Arran, the imposing island looks like it should be in a movie, however, it does have an interesting history which includes the quarrying of microgranite to make curling stones. The island also acts as a bird sanctuary, providing a home for huge numbers of gannets and an increasing number of puffins.
Aye See You in Everything
One of the more unusual photo finds was of graffiti on an old picnic table located a couple of miles outside of Brodick. The battered old table had seen a lot of picnics and was scratched, faded and even burnt on it surface. Close to the centre of the table were the words ‘Aye see you in everything‘ which immediately caught my attention. I’m not really sure what to make of the statement. It seems a little sad, as though it refers to a long lost love with the writer desperately wanting to tell the world what they think. I asked others and some found it rather creepy, so it can be read in a variety of different ways.
The photograph also reminded me of a graffiti image I took for the Sea, Sky, Sand and Street project back in 2011, although that message was very different.
Kintyre and Campbeltown
At the top of the Isle of Arran stands the ferry port of Lochranza which connects the island to the Kintyre Peninsula. The ferry that takes around 30 minutes to cross the Firth to Claonaig. Originally the plan had been to return to Ardrossan and travel by ferry to Campbeltown, but earlier in the year the summer route timetable had been cancelled due ship availability issues. There was simply no spare ferry to complete the route .The Campbeltown route was cancelled again in 2024 for similar reasons.
The drive down from Claonaig to Campbeltown is recommended and only takes around an hour. Considering the proximity of Kintyre to the Isle of Arran, both places have their own very different landscape and vibe. Often it feels like your on an island off the west coast of Scotland, rather than on a peninsula. Campbelltown is famous for its whisky distilleries with both Springbank and Glen Scotia being based in the town.
The A83 road takes you towards Campbeltown and passes through an amazing landscape and coastline giving plenty of excuses to stop and take in the view. The wide variety of homes, sometimes static caravans or cabins located along a large stretch of the coastline, were a notable addition to the landscape.
A Photographer’s Memorial
Tucked away in a Campbeltown side street is a fantastic memorial garden to Linda McCartney. Paul McCartney had purchased a farm near Campbeltown in 1966 during the heyday of The Beatles, and became the most famous resident on the Kintyre Peninsula. He even wrote a song about Kintyre that became a big hit in 1977.
In November 2002, around four years after Linda’s death, the Linda McCartney Kintyre Memorial Trust opened a memorial garden in Campbeltown near where the family’s Scottish farmhouse was located, complete with a bronze statue. I had a brief visit on my final day in Campbeltown and loved the serene calm of the garden. I will definitely make a return visit. I’m not a fan of headstones or graveyard memorials. I much prefer living memorials such as Linda’s garden, the Commando Statue near Spean Bridge in the Highlands or even the Lancaster, Hurricanes and Spitfires of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
Linda’s photography is well worth checking out, and I’d especially recommend, if you a fan of sixties music, the sixties section of her website with great portraits of The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, The Doors and more.
My Favourite Image
Both Isle of Arran and Kintyre locations provided fantastic opportunities for photography so I’m going to cheat slightly and pick two.
My favourite Isle of Arran image has to be of the conversation at the bus stop in Lochranza. The scene just appeared front of me as I tucked into some tea and sandwiches at a café directly across from the bus stop. Initially I thought the two people in the bus shelter were waiting for one of the busy island buses, but after the conversation stopped, the couple gathered their things and started walking again. It turned out to be just a couple of walkers taking advantage of the chairs placed in the bus stop. It’s quite a common sight in many bus stops across the Highland and Islands of Scotland. I took two shots – one with the camera and the other wider one with the mobile phone. The mobile image is the prelude to the conversation with one couple still sat at the café table, that also happened to be a barrel.
The Doors
The second chosen image was taken on a Campbeltown street of an extremely weather beaten door at number 81. By the look of things, the door and walls had not seen any paint in a long time. The textures stood out from the wall and there was just a sense of time and also sadness at the state the door, walls and building had got into. No maintenance and the Scottish weather had done the rest.
A second door image shows the once bright blue door of number 107. The paint is peeling off and the locks appear to have seen no use in many a year. I just liked how the colour still had some power even though the door hadn’t seen paint in a long time. Time and the weather had taken its toll but the door still stood against the elements. I just wonder when either of the letter boxes last had a letter through them.
