The Sweet Taste of Island Life.

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This is a guest post by one of our UK readers, Emma Gibb. 

The only sounds were waves rolling languidly onto the shore and our sighs of content.  We were lying on a beautiful sandy beach, stretched out on a blanket under blue skies, basking in the heat of the afternoon sun.   I shielded my eyes from the sun and looked around the empty beach, trying to soak up the view – the sea was a gorgeous mix of dark blues and light patches that were almost turquoise as the sun glinted off the water, the long stretch of sand was torn in the distance by jagged lines of black rock, and hills were gathered in a protective huddle around the bay.  I thought how lucky we were to be spending our honeymoon relaxing on this island.  And the best part?  We didn’t have to travel thousands of miles but only a few hours – we were on the Isle of Arran, on Scotland’s scenic West Coast.

I truly felt like I was abroad – was it because palm trees dotted the roadsides and framed the views of blue skies and the mainland beyond?   Was it to do with the landscapes of lush green vegetation and stunning beaches?  Whatever the reason, I felt like I was worlds away from home, not just a hop and a skip over the Firth of Clyde.

I’m not saying we had sunshine the entire time but whilst the rest of the country seemed to be enduring lashing rain, we did enjoy some lovely sunny days and uninterrupted blue skies in the latter half of the holiday (when we definitely needed the sun cream I had optimistically packed).  The clouds that had cloaked the hills, caught in the peaks and crevices, were swept away to reveal a completely different island.  But looking back on the photos now, the pictures from the first few days (with the mix of showers, cloud and sun) are every bit as breath-taking, showing how atmospheric Scotland can be.  The thunderous dark skies make the sand appear whiter and the colours of the beaches even more vivid, with layers of mist creating a mystical, romantic setting.

We stayed in a house in Lamlash for the duration of our honeymoon, which is used as a holiday home by friends of my husband’s family.  We couldn’t have been closer to the beach – the garden dropped down to the shore and the living room window looked straight out at the Holy Isle in front.  Every evening we sat in front of the huge window, watching the water advance or retreat, soothed by the view.  I loved having our own living space to relax in – after the hectic weeks leading up to the wedding, this was a quiet retreat where we could rest and unwind.  The peace of our own holiday home (and the flexibility it gave us) was perfect for a honeymoon.

So what were the highlights of Arran?

Brodick Castle was one of the most interesting I have visited (with the most informative and helpful guides), the Arran Heritage Museum was full of fascinating historical objects, with brilliant exhibitions and displays, and the Machrie Moor Standing Stones took my breath away.  We did a lot of walking (Arran is ideal for walkers and cyclists) and James particularly loved the King’s Cave walk (which is popular with children!).  As a keen golfer, he was also thrilled to learn that Arran has seven golf courses.

But what I really loved were the beaches. 

Driving around the island, you didn’t have to go far before you came to another beach.  I have to admit I’m a beach person anyway – I grew up on the Moray Coast and I feel the pull of the sea.  But despite there being a number of beaches on Arran, they were all quite different.  The beach at Whiting Bay had me entranced with coloured patterns of the stones and rock formations – from whites and creams to bright greens and dark browns, it was like a work of art, with lines of red seaweed etched into the sand as a signature.  The sandy beach where we spent time lazing in the sun was at Dougarie – probably my favourite beach on the island, with seaweed covered boulders and stones littering the sand.  In the south of the island, we stumbled upon Kilmory beach, with a long stretch of sand to walk along, charcoal streaks of rock like scars on the shore, and lines of bright seaweed as shocks of colour.  The sea was again a mixture of light patches and darker shades, shimmering in the sunlight, with Ailsa Craig jutting out of the water in the distance.  No matter what the weather, I couldn’t help but take photo after photo of Arran’s beaches.

As I embark on a mission to see more of Scotland, I returned home only to start researching where I will spend my 30^th birthday next month.  After this taste of island life, it will definitely be on another of Scotland’s beautiful islands – the only problem is choosing which one…

Emma Gibb writes about self catering holidays for Embrace Scotland.

*All photos in this post are courtesy of Emma Gibb.

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!