# Isle of Arran wild camping trip - Car parking suggestions.



## Spicy (May 7, 2022)

Hi everyone, it's my first time going to the Scottish Isles for a wild camping trip, I have taken into consideration the law and I am always a very respectful camper (of people's property, landmarks, history and always leaving where you camp as you found it).

What I would like to know is if I take the ferry over to Brodick on the Isle of Arran and spend 5 days there, where would be the best place to park the car close to the Goat Fell. Me and my 2 friends want to camp the first night near the base of Goat Fell and then spend the next day climbing it and possibly spending a night atop the Fell and then we will see where the wind takes us after that.

TL;DR - Good car park spot for making camp near Goat Fell to climb the next day? (preferably not in Brodick and then taking the bus, I've heard this is an option)
Side-question: If I buy the OS map will it have up-to-date car park locations and facilities etc?

Thank you lovely people, happy camping!


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## jeanette (May 8, 2022)

Hi and welcome  if you become a full member you might see somewhere in the POI’s but I’m sure some one will come along who will know better than me


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## barryd (May 8, 2022)

Your best bet with a car is the car park at Cladach here  https://www.google.com/maps/@55.5913901,-5.1558946,3a,75y,333.55h,80.73t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sajaLtYkACGVrKQDrdntFtw!2e0!6shttps://streetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com/v1/thumbnail?panoid=ajaLtYkACGVrKQDrdntFtw&cb_client=maps_sv.tactile.gps&w=203&h=100&yaw=84.21747&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i16384!8i8192

You cant camp there though.  Alternatively you could leave the car in Corrie or maybe High Corrie (single track road here) https://www.google.com/maps/@55.6330085,-5.1373735,3a,75y,313.58h,82.13t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sVMN_RwTFyBzNOEYg5CoqSg!2e0!6shttps://streetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com/v1/thumbnail?panoid=VMN_RwTFyBzNOEYg5CoqSg&cb_client=maps_sv.tactile.gps&w=203&h=100&yaw=42.39237&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i16384!8i8192

That ascent is much steeper than the one from Cladach although Ive never done it. I did once walk up Goatfell from Gladach where the Arran brewery and Wine Port is but it was twenty years ago. I'd struggle to get to the brewery now.

Not sure what the rules are regarding tents on the hills so check locally. They do wild camp in tents at the picnic area at North Sannox and its delightful but a lot of people have burnt the grass with fires. There is a cracking little campsite at Glen Rosa which is very cheap also.


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## barryd (May 8, 2022)

I just remembered. You can pitch a tent in Corrie village hall gardens. You could walk up goatfell from there also.


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## Doddy6 (May 10, 2022)

Corrie for Goat fell, tho I chose to get the bus from my micro campervan as I had a good camp spot and did not want to leave my vehicle a long time when I climbed Goat Fell. It is not an easy climb difficult in wind.


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## Spicy (May 30, 2022)

Do you think I'm being a bit ambitious wanting to take a 90L+ Army bergen with enough food, fuel and water for 5 days up Goat Fell and around the island afterwards? 
Would I be safe to put a mini lock on my tent zipper and leave any (non-precious) items in the tent with a note "Gone hiking" on the tent just for the day and instead climb Goat Fell with a day sack, leaving all main kit at the camp at the bottom of Goat Fell?
Thanks in advance and thank you so much for all the responses so far! (4 weeks to go!!!!! so excited)


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## Alscottie (May 31, 2022)

Always a risk leaving your tent for a night unoccupied, but my experience of Arran is positive natives are super friendly and honest, it’s other visitors that you have to be wary of!


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## Doddy6 (Jun 26, 2022)

I never leave any gear ; one reason I go lightweight.Once before climbing a hill I left my backpack hidden in some bracken. Two hours later nightmare finding it. Sometime ago though before mobile phones, tip now is to photograph location and take long map reference. Still not tempted even doing that. 
People can assume property discarded and walk off with it, or even worse missing person.


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## Robmac (Jun 27, 2022)

Spicy said:


> Do you think I'm being a bit ambitious wanting to take a 90L+ Army bergen with enough food, fuel and water for 5 days up Goat Fell and around the island afterwards?
> Would I be safe to put a mini lock on my tent zipper and leave any (non-precious) items in the tent with a note "Gone hiking" on the tent just for the day and instead climb Goat Fell with a day sack, leaving all main kit at the camp at the bottom of Goat Fell?
> Thanks in advance and thank you so much for all the responses so far! (4 weeks to go!!!!! so excited)



I wouldn't bother with a lock as a determined thief would just cut the tent.

Also a 'Gone Hiking' sign would advertise that the tent is unoccupied so I would leave the sign inside the tent so any ranger worried about you being missing would find it when he looked inside.

Whenever I've hiked in the Cairngorms in bad weather I have always informed the ranger of my plans and left my car registration with them and if I've stayed out overnight on the mountain I've 'phoned and let them know followed by a follow up call in the morning on my return.


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