Planning a trip to Isle of Arran

Getting There -- High-speed electric trains operate from Glasgow Central direct to Ardrossan Harbour, taking 1 hour and costing £6.05 one-way. For 24-hour rail inquiries, call tel. 08475/484-950; www.nationalexpress.com. (If you're driving from Glasgow, head southwest along A737 until you reach Ardrossan.) At Ardrossan, you must make a 30-minute ferry crossing to Arran, arriving in Brodick, Arran's main town, on its east coast.

In summer, a small ferry runs between Lochranza, in the north of Arran, across to Claonaig, in Argyll, providing a gateway to the Highlands and a visit to Kintyre. There are six boats daily, and the fare is £38 for a vehicle, plus £8.40 per passenger for a return journey. For information about ferry departures (which change seasonally), check with Caledonian MacBrayne (tel. 0800/665-000; www.calmac.co.uk) at the ferry terminal in Gourock.

Visitor Information -- The tourist office is at The Pier, Brodick (tel. 01770/303-774; www.ayrshire-arran.com). June to August, it's open Monday to Saturday 9am to 7:30pm and Sunday 10am to 5pm; September to May, hours are Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm.