Visit the Arran Outdoor Festival
August 21, 2008 on 11:04 pm | In Canoeing, Mountain Biking, Hillwalking | 1 Comment
With the summer nearly over, we all need things to look forward to … and the second annual Arran Outdoor Festival is only 4 weeks away (18-22 Sept 08). There will be a fantastic selection of guided walks, from the high peaks to coastal and forestry walks with experienced local guides. Stagecoach have laid on buses from the pier in Brodick, so be “green” by leaving your car on the mainland and you’ll also save some money on the ferry fare (only £8.95 for a return adult foot passenger).
There is also a great choice of adventure activities, including Sea Kayaking, Climbing and Gorge Walking with the Arran Adventure Company (www.arranadventure.com) who are offering a special deal for the festival of “2 for the price of 1″. If you enjoy a challenge, why not sign up for the Adventure Triathlon? This combines a 10km run, the Lamlash Splash (swim from Holy Isle to Lamlash!) and the mountain bike trailquest, which is part of the national league. Or, just pick one event!
The Safari Supper will be popular with a visit to three different eateries around Brodick, followed by an evening of “live” folk music in the Ormidale Hotel Bar. Corrie Village Hall will be the venue for the mountain film night, with epic adventure stories to inspire you. For more information, check out the festival website www.arranoutdoorfestival.co.uk. Advance bookings are essential for most events, so contact the Arran Adventure Company to book your place on 01770 302244 or by email: info@arranadventure.com.
Suzanne Sell
http://www.arranadventure.com
Working for the Arran Adventure Company. Sea kayaking sorts me out! There are some fantastic coastal locations to explore around the Isle of Arran and it has become so popular that there is a thriving new club that meets on a weekly basis.
Climbing my First Munro
August 20, 2008 on 3:35 pm | In Uncategorized | No Comments
It took a good few hours to get to Aviemore from the Borders but the drive up there takes you through some amazing scenery. We were aiming to “bag our first Munro” and what a Munro we chose - the sixth highest in Scotland!
Our day started of well with us taking the car to the base of Cairngorm and then a visit to the Ranger station which has loads of really good information if you are taking a trip up the mountain. Themist ingeniousthing is the Poo Project - a pioneering project launched at CairnGorm Mountain to manage the increasing amount of human waste left behind by winter walkers and climbers particularly those particpating in snow hole activities!
For further information see: http://www.cairngormmountain.org.uk/cairngorm-ranger-service
We chose a route that wasn’t the most strenuous as we wanted to make this the first of many Munro Bagging weekends. When I say it wasn’t strenuous it was still pretty hard going. We did have a few stops for water and to take in the views and of course a lunch break halfway up.
It eventually took us three hours to reach the top which wasn’t bad going. The downhill to the Ptarmigan was a lot quicker. We enjoyed a hot cup of tea and the amazing view from the restuarant then made our way down in the funicular railway.
Gillian Thompson
http://www.visitscotland.com/adventure
Works with adventure sports in Scotland and has a keen interest in keeping fit and walking and a new passion for surfing.
