Walking on Arran: Glen Sannox

We first explored Glen Sannox on the lovely Isle of Arran when we when we camped at Lochranza campsite in July 2015.

You can also watch my new video at the end which I created in June 2024, and at last I have written two new detailed blog stories about:

• Glen Sannox Circular Walk
• Glen Sannox, The Saddle and Glen Rosa walk and hike

Glen Sannox walk in 2015

Glen Sannox is about 12km (7.45 miles) north of Brodick. There’s a little car park across the road from the start of the walk. If you’re not travelling by car then public transport is also an easy option.

The path is good, has a slight incline but not too strenuous. It was one of those days when the weather kept changing. Dry, showers, cloudy, sunshine, windy. We just didn’t know what we were going to get. Luckily we always carry extra warm clothing and our waterproof jackets.

Our walking book and the signpost suggested heading across the bridge over the Sannox Burn.

We decided to go in the opposite direction and headed straight on passing the beech trees. You can go either way though.

There were many old Barytes mine shafts in the area and we came across this one. Mining took place here around the 1840s, then it was stopped by the 11th Duke of Hamilton  in 1862 because it “spoilt the solemn grandeur of the scene.” After the first world war mining was restarted, until around 1938, then the works were demolished and abandoned.

Please be careful when approaching any of the old mine workings.

Stepping stones spread out across the burn in front of us. We could have walked round to the right and back down, a shorter circular walk, but the stones looked like fun and the mountains were so inviting. So we tested our stepping and balancing skills and managed to get across without wet feet.

I loved how the clouds travelling above us cast their shadows across the mountains so quickly with the sun peeking out now and then.

As we walked deeper into the mountains the only sounds I could hear were the crunching of our feet and the flowing water running fast down the glen beside us.

The water was crystal clear and very tempting to paddle in, but I didn’t this time.

We eventually stopped near the foot of the mountains, ate some lunch and also enjoyed a lovely warm drink. We could have continued to hike up and over The Saddle, into Glen Rosa, but that was for another day as we didn’t know these mountains very well, or how long it would take.

It was such a beautiful place to sit and chill, listening to the sounds of nature. Alan even surprised me with a gift, one of three pieces of Sheila Fleet’s beautiful jewellery! So I’m now the proud owner of daisies.

 

We leisurely walked back down through the glen. This was an easy paced walked and such a great way to experience the mountains up close without it being too strenuous.

Thanks for reading.

Love, Dawn-Marie x

Glen Sannox, The Saddle and Glen Rosa video

Alan and I returned to the beautiful Glen Sannox in June 2024, and this time we hiked further up to The Saddle and down Glen Rosa. Wow, what a stunning hike and we totally surprised ourselves that we could do it. The Saddle is an amazing place to see the Arran highlands!