Arran.

Arghhh sooo many nice photos to choose from today! I could have done a bit of a collage thing, but I don't think I could have chosen a reasonable number of photos to put in it, and I think it would do them an injustice, plus it's kinda cheating and I'm too lazy to sit and make one So instead I have chosen some typically Scottish hairy moo's and the Arran hills from the end of my walk.

Today was a much needed, very therapeutic day. Up reasonably early and on the bus to Ardrossan to get the ferry over to Arran. I think ferry is my favourite mode of transport, definitely preferable to being suspended in the air, relying on fairies or magic or whatever it is that keeps those preposterously heavy tin cans in the air. Got some nice photos on deck, no one ever seems to go out on deck apart from me and smokers, I find it very refreshing, and you get an awesome view (providing it's not dark or chucking it down) it seems such a shame that people go out in the fresh air only to then fill their lungs with crap...

Got the bus straight up to Brodick castle, and had a wee donder round the gardens. Picked one of the trails and went for a walk off up the hill, up past some amazing gorges and waterfalls that were just simply stunning (purposefully avoiding pun), and so green, considering it's winter!

Then it was a visit to the brewery (a little wasted on me seeing as I don't really like beer/ale), the cheese shop which was definitely not wasted on me, Arran aromatics which was just way out of my price range, and I didn't even bother with the fish/smokery place as I just knew it would be torture, and I'd end up spending what little is left of my student loan on smoked salmon and the like.

Timed it all pretty well to get the bus back to Brodick for lunch. I loved exploring everything by myself, but eating lunch by myself was not amazingly enjoyable, although having my kindle for company helped. It was made slightly worse by me mistaking the outside of the restaurant for more of a cafe type thing, but inside it was definitely restauranty! It was relatively cheap however so I tried to ignore the table of well-dressed people eating from the a-la-carte while I sat in my muddy jeans and walking shoes tucking into my fish and chips and possibly the BEST ticky stoffee pudding ever.

Spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the chocolate shop and the other nifty crafty shops then took a stroll along the "beach" I think the other side of the island is where the beaches are at!

Absolutely knackered from all the walking but it's been a great day. I have just discovered hotspot tethering on my phone, very dangerous given I'm only a week into this months allowances, but does mean I can keep up with blip a bit better, rather than uploading the pictures to my laptop, onto a memory stick, then onto the library computer. I just need to keep an eye on my mobile internet usage!