Machrie Moor – Stone Circles and a Wood-Fired Lunch
A few hours.
The route
Machrie Moor is one of the most atmospheric places on Arran: six stone circles on an open moor on the west coast with the hills all round, some of them tall red sandstone pillars, raised around 4,000 years ago.
A farm track takes you out to them in about half an hour, and lunch is a few minutes up the coast at Café Thyme, where flatbreads come out of a wood-fired oven. It's an easy morning in any month of the year.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is The Hollies, 23 miles away. Sleeps 18.
Then Glenstriven House, 28 miles away. next free Sun 25 Oct to Tue 27 Oct.
The day
Machrie
A walk out across the moor on the quiet west coast to the stones and back, and a long, warm lunch looking out to Kintyre.
About three hoursAbout 2.5 miles on foot
Machrie Moor Stone Circles
An attraction
The stones have their own small roadside car park on the coast road, where the signs show how long you can park. From there a farm track runs out through the fields to the moor, about half an hour's walk each way and a little over 2 km. The first circle, of round granite boulders, comes at a bend in the track, and the tallest stones, slender sandstone pillars up to about five and a half metres high, stand further on. Sheep graze the fields, so keep a dog on a lead. There's no charge and no toilets until the café. The track is wet after rain and the moor is open to the wind, so wear boots and go in daylight.
8 min by car
Cafe Thyme, Machrie
Lunch
Café Thyme is 8 minutes' drive north up the coast at the Old Byre, with free parking outside. It's open every day from 10am to 5pm, with lunch from noon to 3pm: pide and flatbreads from the wood-fired oven, soup, and salads grown on site. When it's busy they hand you a buzzer, so you can browse the shop while you wait. There's a play area for children, and dogs are welcome at the outside tables. In its season, the tuck shop at Machrie Bay golf club, close by, sells snacks from 11am to 3pm; ring 07769 654966 first.
If it rains
In rain the track is muddy and the moor exposed: keep the walk for a dry spell, and on a wet day go straight to Café Thyme and the Old Byre, which are under a roof.
Cafe Thyme, Machrie, a café.