Dog-friendly walk
This route is designed to be walked from the ferry terminal without the need for other transport. However if you have a car, on-street parking is available in Brodick and there is a local bus service which you could take to the Arran Heritage Museum, cutting off 1.8km each way.
View full route description
From Brodick Ferry Terminal turn right (North West) to cross a footbridge then onto the pavement along the A841. Continue on A841 through Brodick past the shops, library, golf course and heritage museum. After 2km the road bends sharp right and at this point you should turn left (West) onto The String road. 120m along The String road turn right (North), signposted “Glen Rosa”. Keep right at a fork to pass some cottages and arrive at Glen Rosa Campsite approx 1km along the road. Follow a track along the edge of the campsite, meeting up with the Glenrosa Water a little further along. The river should be on your right-hand side. After 2.3km cross a footbridge over a tributary to the Glenrosa Water Keep right after crossing the bridge. A short distance further ignore two paths on the right which lead to the Glenrosa Water, instead continue ahead (North). Keeping the river on your right-hand side, continue North for 2.5km. At this point, just before you start walking uphill, look out for a fork. Keep right (North) at the fork, keeping the Glenrosa Water close to your right-hand side. From here, around 1.5km of steep ascent awaits to reach The Saddle (271m of ascent) where you can enjoy the view down into Glen Sannox. [It is possible to continue over The Saddle, scramble down a very steep section known as “The Chimney” and walk along Glen Sannox (5km long). Arriving into Sannox, you could use the local bus service to return to Brodick 12km away.] If not continuing to Glen Sannox, retrace your steps back down Glen Rosa to Brodick Ferry Terminal.
WALK REVIEW: 10th April 2016
I LOOOOOVVVVVE Arran!!! It is absolutely my favourite place in Scotland. I have so many happy memories of holidays spent there as a child exploring the amazing great outdoors the island has to offer. Never been? Go tomorrow!
The aim of this trip was in fact to climb Goatfell and make a start on my “Trail 7 Summits” challenge. However on the approach, at the top of Glen Rosa, one of our group began suffering the initial symptoms of a migraine and so we returned to Brodick via the same route. I will admit to being a little disappointed – I don’t think that will come as a surprise to my dear friend Salima hence why I am choosing to write about my feelings so openly here: the conditions were perfect with a clear summit, next to no wind and beautiful sunshine, and I don’t get the chance to go into the hills very often due to childcare and so had really been looking forward to getting up there. Having said all that, I do not regret our decision for one second: the right thing to do was for the 3 of us to stick together and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the walk – what’s not to love about Glen Rosa?!
So you will have to come back another time to read about my climb of Goatfell! For now enjoy the story and beautiful photos of our Glen Rosa hike 🙂
Our plan was to hike up Glen Rosa to the Saddle and then take the ridge along to Goatfell via North Goatfell, returning to Brodick via the “tourist route”. We had specifically agreed on that option in order to avoid the stream of people who generally can be found climbing Goatfell on sunny April holiday weekend days like today! I don’t know how you feel about the situation, but personally I love going into the hills for the solitude and sense of peace they provide, and am more than happy passing a few fellow hikers along the way. Nothing puts me off the idea quicker than the thought of sharing the place with dozens of others. So, the Glen Rosa route it was to be – a long walk in at just over 6 miles to the Saddle, but once at the top it would be a hop, skip and jump back to Brodick.
We took the first ferry on Sunday morning, getting us into Brodick just before 11am. It was my first trip across to Arran for a while so I was like a kid at Christmas. Gleb was heading over for his first visit and I had built it up so much I just hope it lived up to his expectations! He has already vowed to come back when we next attempt Goatfell, and he also spoke of bringing his bike across in Summer and cycling back up the glen to swim in one of the many deep pools of water which help form the Glenrosa Water. Who can blame him: the water is so clear and pure, so inviting. A bit chilly though I would imagine! I’m also not sure how much the water will heat up in the Summer months but Gleb did assure Salima and I that had we not been there he would have been very tempted to have a swim today – brave man!
Navigation is very simple, however we somehow still managed to take a wrong turn which left us traversing across uneven, heather-strewn hillside for a short section to re-join the path – Salima putting her foot ankle deep into a hidden burn and me going knee deep into an empty hole! It is these moments that make you so grateful for the people who work hard to maintain the paths! It wasn’t until our way back down that we realised our mistake: the track very vaguely splits at one point with one side crossing part of the burn (the way we should have gone) and the other side continuing up the side of the burn in the direction of Cir Mhor. You would never know that they are 2 separate tracks both leading to completely different mountains – very easy to miss. However…. the fork is clearly shown on the map so there is no excuse really 🙂
From this elevated position you are gifted with a beautiful view right down the length of Glen Rosa
We finished the walk with enough time left over to have a drink at the beer garden of the lovely Douglas Hotel before taking the ferry back to Ardrossan. Of course, no trip on Cal Mac is complete without sampling their onboard meals to refuel after the 11 mile round-trip!