Glen Rosa Campsite Arran

[stooboy]

Anyone been to the glen rosa campsite on arran?

http://www.glenrosa.com/arran-campsite.html

sounds right up bushcrafter street, limited facilities but allows camp fires

 

[alpha_centaur]

It has its plus's and minus's.

At times it attracts the wrong type of budget campers. The immediate area's been stripped bare of burnable wood, so you'll need to take your own or scavenge from the other side of the burn. There's fire scars all over the place. The last time I was there I had to clean up an area to camp in because nobody else had cleared their rubbish away.

On the plus side however: its remote enough to feel nice to camp in and at this time of year you should have it to yourself bar for the serious hillwalkers and outdoors people. And its a lovely spot to camp in.

Oh and make sure that you pick one of the higher parts to camp on as it has been known to flood.

In saying that I will be going back (again) this year.

 

[stooboy]

cheers for the mini review, i was wondering if it would be suitable for a west coast meet, since its got a toilet block which is the main hinderance of 20 odd folks meeting up for a weekend.

 

[The Cumbrian]

It's a nice campsite, but midge central in the summer. I was there a few years ago and they got through the insect netting into the tent, so we escaped to the car. We retired to the pub when they made their way in through the car's air vents.

 

[stooboy]

theres a pub nearby ?

 

[The Cumbrian]

I can't remember how far away it was. I wasn't driving and I used to smoke the fun stuff in those days.

 

[Gill]

I know Arran really well , i,ve lost count of the times i,ve been and its one of my best places ever.I think it would be a great meet up,The midges are bad ,but where is,nt in the summer in scotland.

 

[Toddy]

Fife !!

cheers,
M

 

[Gill]

Fife isnae a patch on Arran Mary.okenest:

 

[Toddy]

Hmmm, horses for courses. Arran is beautiful though It's like Scotland in miniature. If Machrie moor's stones were on the mainland it'd be a more important site than Stonehenge, and there's pitchstone on the beach too

cheers,
M

 

[timboggle]

Aye mate, it's alright - I used it a few years ago as a basecamp and had the place to myself, 'old man of Tarsuinn, Cir Mhor are in good distance - as been said though mate, if you want a campfire take your own wood

 

[Grooveski]

Scott has a little wood in Sandbraes(Whiting Bay) that'd do well as a meet location.

Don't know if the Scripture Union still hire out their site at Kings Cross. They used to (many moons ago) and it's about the nicest campsite on the island. Plenty of woodland and coastal walks and just up from a nice put-in for canoes.

I agree with alpha centaur. Rosa is a cracking campsite as a base for walking and climbing but it's a bit bare and busy really.
The midgies are no worse than anywhere else on the west coast. The trouble with any east facing valley is that they don't get as much of a breeze in general.

I can't remember how far away it was. I wasn't driving and I used to smoke the fun stuff in those days.

You must have been spangled if the stumble from the 'Dale seemed short.

 

[calibanzwei]

Can't comment on midges - did the north east coast up as far round as Catocol last June (I think); constant sea breeze must have kept them off

 

[Melonfish]

Actually fancy doing Arran tbh, i have heard its like a miniature scotland, sounds good. horror stories about ticks tho...

 

[Grooveski]

Yeah there are ticks but again it's no different to anywhere else.

Mink are the only animal that are there in greater numbers than you're likely to see on the mainland.

 

[stooboy]

is it worthwhile takeing the car or is that more of a hinderance, i imagine it to have narrow roads like mull, so maybe just walking or cycling be best mode of getting about ?

 

[Grooveski]

The main drag round the island and the string(brodick-blackwaterfoot) are normal roads. Only the Ross road is a single track with passing places.

 

[Gill]

is it worthwhile takeing the car or is that more of a hinderance, i imagine it to have narrow roads like mull, so maybe just walking or cycling be best mode of getting about ?

It is really good to take the car ,but it is really expensive ,i think the last time i took the car it was around £80 plus the passengers ferry fee,it is better to hire a wee car over there for around £25 - £30 a day.

 

[calibanzwei]

Leave the car at the docks and use the buses! Regular, on time and easy to learn - there's basically a ring road around the coast and a middle bi-secting road going left to right from the port is. That's it, how complicated can it be?

 

[alpha_centaur]

I tend to use the bus service when I'm accross but then again if it was a group heading accross, and everybody chipped in for car hire, the cost would be minimal....

Oh toddy Whats pitchstone when its at home?

I think it would be ideal for a west coast meet. Nice and handy for me even if I cant get the time off work and much better than the island I live on.