12th June 2021

Hi,

After a period of 20 months and no travel blog it was time to get out there…!

The last work related get together was back in March 2020 just two days prior to the first lockdown. Sharon came up with a plan to climb Goat Fell (also spelt Goatfell) on the Isle of Arran back in the spring of this year and I was one of the first to put my hand up.

I had only been to Arran twice. The first was back in 1968 I think, when my brother and I travelled over with our Balloan Farm cousins Iain and William to visit their uncle (and my mother's first cousin) Ian MacQueen who was manager of a farm called High Dougarie which I remember was near or at Machrie. The next visit was not until Easter Monday 2003 when I travelled over with Amanda for the Ormidale 10K race. I had just started running in 2001 so was eager but not so wise in my enthusiasm. I got a personal best time in the race, which was the first time I got under 45 minutes for a 10k, but ran with a slight injury which put me out of racing for over a year.

Anyway back to the present. On the day only four intrepid team members decided to risk an early start and a long day climbing a hill. I got picked up by Sharon at 0715 and we travelled down to Ardrossan for the ferry where we met Lara and Cheryl. Cheryl's uncle Hugh joined us, a man well experienced in hill walking. The Isle of Arran is often referred to as 'Scotland in miniature.' Goat Fell, according to Wikipedia 'is the highest point on the Isle of Arran. At 874 metres (2,867 ft), it is one of four Corbetts on the island. The mountain, along with nearby Brod*** Castle, is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland.' The walk starts though the wooded castle grounds with Rhododendrons proliferating and then after about 1,000 feet moves into bare moorland. The path up is very steep towards the end with huge bare rocks providing a challenge on the way to the top.

This blog is mainly to accompany the photos of the day. The day had promised to be clear however it was warm but cloudier than we would have liked. We had limited views over to the Mull of Kintyre, but not to Ireland, which Hugh told us you can see on a clearer day. It took us about three hours to get up and about the same coming down. I was back in the house just after 2130, tired but fulfilled. Travel is back on!

It was a rare wee day out. Everyone was in great spirits and the crack was mighty. The photos should give an idea of the atmosphere within the group. As a trip it is well worth recording on the blog. Thanks to Sharon for suggesting the location and to Cheryl for the photos I have used without permission! Lara and Hugh…it wouldn't have been the same without you…

Hope fully there will be more adventures to follow after this long hiatus.

Watch this space!

All the best

Murdo