Family Friendly Self Catering in Arran

Family Friendly Self Catering in Arran

Wed, Mar 23, 2011

Just recently we had the opportunity to go to Arran. I haven’t visited many of Scotland’s islands so jumped at the chance to get away from the city and spend the weekend with friends. We spent two nights in Seawinds cottage with four friends and their three toddlers.

 

Getting There

We were driving from Edinburgh so took the M8 to Glasgow and then the  A737 to Ardrossan. We left at 9 (ish!). Euan slept some of the time (unfortunately he was woken by a sneeze!) but I noticed how different this journey was from previous long car journeys: notably a willingness to be amused with raisins, rice cakes and road games.

We arrived in Ardrossan at 11 in perfect time for the babies’ lunch,  stopping in the Asda supermarket just beside the ferry – cordon bleu sacrificed yet again for convenience!

The Calmac drive-on-drive-off ferry which also accommodates foot passengers has a crossing which lasts 50 minutes and I was pleasantly surprised by the standard of cleanliness and the facilities for kids – the games room was a particular hit. There were also plenty of high chairs but not a great deal of choice for young palates. Euan loved it when his daddy took him outside to look at the waves. The ferry crossing is the perfect length for children of all ages – long enough to be exciting without the boredom of being on board for too long. This might also apply to the adults when the crossing is less than smooth!

After leaving the ferry we had only a 15 minute drive to get to our accommodation. No matter where you are staying you won’t have far to travel at this stage – Arran is a small enough island to cycle round in a few hours.

Arran

Arran is one of Scotland’s most beautiful islands and has been described as Scotland in miniature because it has all the best features of the country – mountains, lochs and rich farmland. Not surprisingly it’s a very popular place to holiday, especially during high season, but because it’s also such a popular place to live, holiday lets can be difficult to find with people returning year after year.

The Accommodation

We stayed in Seawinds Cottage in Corrie. The cottage sleeps 6 (we managed 6 adults and 4 young children).  There are three bedrooms (one double and two twin),  a large living area and a spacious, modern kitchen.  The feature we most enjoyed about the cottage was the view over the Firth of Clyde which could be enjoyed whatever the weather.

 

Arran is a lovely place to visit. If you’re planning a trip don’t leave without trying the cheese and chocolate. Both are manufactured on the island and you can see them being made through glass walls in the shops.