Just off Lamlash, this island is owned by the Samye Ling Tibetan Centre and used as a retreat, but day visits are allowed. A tide-dependent ferry zips across from Lamlash. No dogs, bikes, alcohol or fires are allowed on Holy Island. A good walk to the top of the hill (314m) takes two or three hours return. You can stay at the Holy Island Centre for World Peace & Health. Prices include full (vegetarian) board.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
16.11 MILES
The Scottish National Trust's flagship property, magnificent Culzean (kull-ane) is one of the most impressive of Scotland's stately homes. On approach the…
Robert Burns Birthplace Museum
18.38 MILES
This impressive museum has collected a solid range of Burns memorabilia, including manuscripts and possessions of the poet, like the pistols he packed for…
18.64 MILES
The family seat of the Stuart Earls of Bute is one of Britain's more magnificent 19th-century stately homes, the first to have a telephone, underfloor…
18.93 MILES
Dundonald Castle commands impressive views and, in its main hall, has one of the finest barrel-vaulted ceilings preserved in Scotland. It was the first…
5.78 MILES
This elegant castle 2 miles north of Brodick evolved from 13th-century origins into a stately home and hunting lodge for the Dukes of Hamilton. You enter…
16.54 MILES
Boat lovers should check out Irvine's Scottish Maritime Museum. In the massive Linthouse Engine Shop – an old hangar with a cast-iron framework – is an…
22.25 MILES
There were once no fewer than 32 distilleries around Campbeltown, but most closed in the 1920s. Today this is one of only three still in operation. It is…
28.32 MILES
Subtropical plants thrive in Gigha's Achamore Gardens, the island's principal sight. Rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas take advantage of the…
Nearby Arran attractions
1. Isle of Arran Heritage Museum
5.45 MILES
This museum has a varied collection of historical and ethnographic items, from prehistoric stone tools to farming implements. There's quite a bit to see…
5.63 MILES
Near Brodick Castle is this popular shop and visitor centre where you can purchase any number of scented items and watch the production line at work (it…
5.78 MILES
This elegant castle 2 miles north of Brodick evolved from 13th-century origins into a stately home and hunting lodge for the Dukes of Hamilton. You enter…
5.81 MILES
This brewery, 1.5 miles from Brodick off the Lochranza road, produces the excellent Arran beers, which include the addictive Arran Dark. Tours run daily:…
8.61 MILES
It's a 10-minute walk from Lagg or Kilmory to Torrylinn Cairn, a chambered tomb over 4000 years old. Its stones, protruding at various points across a…
8.9 MILES
Still under construction when we last passed by, this new malt-whisky distillery will open to visitors in 2019. Run by the same folk who operate the…
9.64 MILES
On the western side of Arran island is Machrie Moor Stone Circle, a pleasant 1.2-mile stroll from the parking area on the coastal road, or an extended…
11.08 MILES
Arran is one of several islands that claim the cave where Robert the Bruce had his famous arachnid encounter: the story goes that watching a persistent…