Scotland, the country I now call home, is jam packed full of landscape photography opportunities. The beautiful Island of Arran is said to be Scotland in miniature and for good reason. It is now one of my favourite locations and is very close indeed, the ferry port of Ardrossan is just over an hour away from my home. Whether you are visiting on vacation or have caught the photography bug like me, you will want to make the most of your time there and visit as many different locations as you can fit in. Where do you start? By no means have I been to all the locations that the Island has to offer, so I will revisit this post at a future time.
What I would like to do though is point you in the direction of some locations that I have found interesting on my visits so far. So where do you start? Why not check out the brief list of locations below. You will hopefully find some inspiration for your next trip around this beautiful island. If you have already been, then why not comment below and tell others which places you’ve enjoyed visiting whilst on the Isle of Arran.
I eventually captured this beautiful sunrise image on my third attempt. Three mornings in a row I travelled the pot hole ridden road from Blackwaterfoot to Kildonan in hope of some nice light. The first two mornings were washouts. Finally the persistence paid off on the last attempt. I love how the morning light eventually poked through and bathed the side of Pladda lighthouse. It was rather windy but I am quite satisfied with how the sharpness of the image turned out. I captured this image on my autumn 2018 photography trip to the Isle of Arran. If you like this image then you may wish to check out some of my other images in my Scottish Islands Portfolio.
If you would like to see the exact location where this image was taken from then please follow this link to Google Maps.
2 – Glenashdale
There is plenty to do and see around Glenashdale. I captured the autumnal image above on my 2018 photography trip to the Isle of Arran. As i’m sure you will agree, the autumn colours were breathtaking on Arran at the begining of November. I had hiked up through the forest from Whiting Bay to see the Glenashdale Falls. This image came about by chance really. I was simply walking along the footpath between the waterfall and the Giants graves. A great afternoons walk and photography for the enthusiast and tourist alike. This image is part of my Woodland portfolio.
Glenashdale Falls – There is a safe viewing point for these falls. This gives spectacular views over the falls, also known as the Eas a’ Chrannaig in Gaelic. The double falls are around 140 feet high and the sound is deafening.
The Giants’ Graves are the remains of two Neolithic chambered tombs on the south east of the Island. They are situated within 40 metres of each other, and stand on a ridge 120 metres above the sea in a clearing in a forest, overlooking Whiting Bay to the south.
If you would like to see these locations pin pointed on a map then please check out this link to Google Maps.
3 – Machrie Moor Standing Stones
The village of Machrie is found on a wide sandy bay on the west coast of Arran, just four miles north of Blackwaterfoot. This archaeological landscape includes stone circles, standing stones and burial cairns, as well as hut circles, all dating to between 3500 and 1500 BC. There is plenty to see and use as a focal point for photographers. There is a car park with plenty of spaces just off the main road too.
Please check out this link to Google Maps for the exact location of car park and standing stones.
4 – Glen Sannox – Allt a Chapuill
Another spectacular location to photograph is the area around Glen Sannox. There is plenty of low level walking to enjoy. With many of the walks running alongside the Sannox Burn or the Allt a Chapuill. There are plenty of waterfalls, mountain peaks and winding streams and burns to use as a focal point in your landscape photography. There is a free car park in Sannox, but this will be popular in high season and weekends.
To see the exact location of some decent waterfalls as well as the car park, please check out this link to Google Maps.check out this link to Google Maps.
5 – Corrie
This image came about by accident. I’d love to say that it was carefully planned out and well thought through, but it wasn’t. As soon as I got off the ferry the heavens opened and the skies clouded over. By chance, I turned right when getting off the ferry and I thought i’d just drive and see what happens. The tide was quite high and the waves were crashing against the coastline. Then I arrived at Corrie and noticed this little harbour wall getting pounded by the waves. That was when I noticed these cool looking sheep moorings on the harbour wall. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen them on social media while scouting locations for my trip. This image was captured with a 30 second long exposure, but I also took quite a quick exposure of these Corrie sheep moorings too. If you like this image then you may wish to check out some of my other photography from the Island of Arran.
This image was captured at the same time as the previous one. I love the way that the waves were just creeping over the wall in this shot. This image was captured with quite a quick exposure time in comparison to the other image.
If you would like to see the exact location that I captured these images then please click on this link to Google Maps.
I appreciate I haven’t been to all the locations Arran has to offer, but I hope that you have enjoyed having a little read about the locations I have been to. I also hope I have made it easier for you to find these locations. What’s your thoughts? Have I missed out your favourite location? If so then drop me a message in the comments below. I’d love to hear your thoughts and recommendations. Please share your love and experiences of this wonderful island and how it may have inspired you like it has me. Thanks for reading – Chris
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