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Museums and history
on Arran.

It’s 20:59 on Arran.
Isle of Arran

Stone circles, sea caves and a smiddy.

Much of Arran's past stands out in the open on its west coast. On Machrie Moor, six stone circles rise from the grass, raised around 2000 BC and set to face the midsummer sunrise. North of Blackwaterfoot, columned basalt cliffs carry the wall of a great Iron Age fort. Further along the shore, a sea cave is carved with horses, crosses and Ogham script, and legend puts Robert the Bruce and his spider here. Just north of Brodick, whitewashed croft buildings keep a smiddy, a box bed and the island's own story. Wear good boots, as the shore path to the caves is rough and rocky.

King's Cave→
Machrie Moor Stone Circles→
Drumadoon Point→
Isle of Arran Heritage Museum→
Place of the day18 hours ago

Machrie Moor Stone Circles.

Six stone circles on an open moor on Arran's west coast, raised around 2000 BC over older timber circles, the tallest stones over five metres high.

Read about it
From our guide15 hours ago

King's Cave.

North of Blackwaterfoot, the sea has worn a row of caves into the sandstone cliffs, and King's Cave is the biggest of them. Its walls carry carvings from many ages: horses, a deer, crosses, cup and ring marks and an inscription in the ancient Ogham script. Legend says Robert the Bruce sheltered here in 1306 and took heart from a spider spinning its web, though other caves claim the same story. A circular walk of about three miles runs through the forest and down to the shore. Some stretches are steep and rocky, so wear good boots.

See the place
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Some good places to go, newly added to the site.

The newest places on our pages on Arran.

Browse everywhere to go
Lunch4 hours agoIsle of ArranBlackwater Bakehouse1.0 milesIsle of ArranCafe Thyme, Machrie4.9 milesIsle of ArranThe Lighthouse, Pirnmill9.0 miles

Lunch near Drumadoon Point.

The three good places closest to it: Blackwater Bakehouse, Cafe Thyme, Machrie and The Lighthouse, Pirnmill.

See Drumadoon Point
From our guide1 hour ago

Isle of Arran Heritage Museum.

Just north of Brodick at Rosaburn, a cluster of whitewashed buildings with red doors holds the story of Arran and its people. The museum opened in 1979, on a site that once held a small school. There is a croft, a smiddy with the blacksmith's forge and anvil, and a cottage furnished as it once was, box bed and all. Displays cover the island's archaeology, geology and social history, from the old post office to life at sea. Café Rosaburn serves light meals, and the riverside gardens are a lovely place for a picnic.

See the place

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