Nature and tranquillity at centre stage for full-day Lochranza to Sannox Tour

This beautiful stretch of Arran coastline was saved from industrial development five years ago, when plans for a huge salmon fish farm off Millstone Point were refused — preserving the peace, wildlife and natural beauty we enjoyed throughout the journey.

Lochranza Castle provided a hauntingly beautiful backdrop as we launched at mid-tide behind the ancient ruins. We warmed up paddling past a collection of elegant wooden yachts, including one formerly owned by Arthur Ransome of Swallows and Amazons fame.

Lochranza Castle

With a helpful following wind, we soon reached Hutton’s Unconformity — the famous geological site where James Hutton, often described as the Darwin of geology, found key evidence that the Earth was vastly older than the 6,000 years previously believed.

We glided past the idyllic Fairy Dell cottage before reaching the dramatic Scoradale rockfall, a route far easier by kayak than the challenging boulder scramble faced by walkers along the shore.

Our first stop was Ossian’s Cave. Passing carved ships etched into the sandstone, we climbed into the darkness of the cave associated with Scotland’s legendary bard.

Arran’s industrial past revealed itself at the ruined salt pans, where coal was once mined and burned to evaporate seawater and produce salt for export. Nearby, within the old natural harbour, we viewed fossilised giant millipede trackways from the water.

Giant millipede tracks - horizontal lines of footprints on the rock face within the scored rectangle

As the clouds lifted, we reached the peaceful shoreline around Millstone Point – the site of the proposed industrial fish farm. The lice infested cages would have poisoned the sea and had noisy diesel engines and flood lights 24/7. In stark contrast to what could have been, walkers pointed out a pair of harbour porpoises offshore.

Millstone Point

Blue skies greeted us at the dramatic headland of Fallen Rocks, where we imagined the thunderous crashes Victorian residents must have heard as giant boulders tumbled into the Firth of Clyde.

Fallen Rocks

Towards the end of the journey, we paddled up the burn at North Sannox beside a lively wild camping area busy with May Bank Holiday visitors enjoying a night under canvas.

North Sannox

To finish the trip, we swept past Sannox’s magnificent beach before making our way up the neighbouring river to land, pack the kayaks onto the trailer, and reflect on another unforgettable day on Arran’s coast.

Our geological adventure wasn’t quite over — on the drive to Corrie, we stopped to visit the Doctor’s Bath and remarkable fossilised lightning strike.