We were so lucky with the weather! Morva, Jane, Karin and Clare paddled (clockwise) around Arran, Holy Island and Pladda (approx. 124 km) in 4 full days and 2 half days. The wind was from the north while we were paddling south, and then from the south as we paddled north, never more than force 3. We wild camped for 2 nights, stayed in serviced campsites for 2 nights (Seal Shore in Kildonan particularly recommended), and had one night in relative luxury at a Youth Hostel.
We enjoyed the company and local knowledge of Andrew Rigby (of Kayak Arran) on day 4. In Lochranza, he led us behind the castle and up the river to the end of the driveway to the Youth Hostel. Robert, a ceramic sculptor in Pirnmill, gave us tea in his garden.
We saw lots of birds, the footprints of the Chirotherium, a 12-foot-long crocodile-like reptile (about 270 million years old), and of a giant millipede, and we found Ossian’s cave. We didn’t see any dolphins, or fish, despite beautifully clear waters around the islands.
Four was a good number for carrying the kayaks up and down the beaches. On our last night we had a small campfire at north Sannox, a pleasant end to a very sociable paddle. We were so lucky with the weather!