Scottish island Arran awarded Unesco...

"Scotland in miniature" becomes country’s 16th site and third geopark

The Isle of Arran in Scotland has been designated a Unesco Global Geopark, becoming the country’s 16th site and the UK's 10th Global Geopark.

Located just off the west coast mainland and reachable by ferry from harbours around 45 minutes from Glasgow, Arran is often described as "Scotland in miniature" as it captures the essence of the country with its cuisine, castles and coastlines.

The addition of Arran means Scotland now has seven World Heritage Sites, two Biosphere Reserves, four Creative Cities and three Global Geoparks, including the North West Highlands Geopark and Geopark Shetland.

Arran was chosen as a Unesco global geopark because of its unique geology that records 600 million years of Earth's history and tells a story of "tectonic plate collisions, the shifting of continents from the southern hemisphere, the opening of the Atlantic Ocean and the sculpting of alpine mountains by glaciers", say Unesco.

Arran also inspired the work of James Hutton, considered the father of modern geology, who studied the rock formations on the island, and his work is celebrated in the Arran Heritage Museum in Brodick, which is open to visitors, and on Hutton’s Unconformity Trail, highlighting locations where two types of rock formations join.

Visitors can walk the trail, with the route covering around 3km near Lochranza, or book a guided walk with local experts to learn everything from Hutton to edible plants.

More than 156 bird species and 1,000 plant species thrive here, making Arran a haven for nature enthusiasts.

Other activities to do on the island include hiking Goatfell, the highest peak at 874m, walking the 65-mile Arran Coastal Way and visiting the Machrie Moor Standing Stones, which date to between 3500 and 1500 BC. Kayaking, horse riding, mountain biking, golf and abseiling is also available.

View of Goatfell mountain on Arran

For those seeking relaxation, there's Stonesthrow, a new wood-fired outdoor sauna with picturesque views and Scotland’s only beach bar Cladach Beach House is a year-round destation serving an ever-changing cocktail menu packed with local flavours, from sea lettuce to hogweed seed.

For more information, visit arran-geopark.org.uk

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