Scotland Guide
Argyll
Isle of Arran
Shaped like a kidney bean and occupying centre stage in the Firth of Clyde, Arran ( 
www.visitarran.net ) is the most southerly (and therefore the most accessible) of all the Scottish islands. The Highland– Lowland dividing line passes right through its centre – hence the cliché about it being like "Scotland in miniature" – leaving the northern half sparsely populated, mountainous and bleak, while the lush southern half enjoys a much milder climate. The tourists, like the population of around five thousand – many of whom are in-comers – tend to stick to the southeastern quarter of the island, leaving the west and the north relatively undisturbed.
Transport on Arran is pretty good: daily buses circle the island (Brodick tourist office has timetables and an Arran Rural Rover day-ticket costs just over £4).