It was Friday, our last full day on the island and we were thinking about squeezing in another new walk along Glen Iorsa to reach Loch Iorsa. It was raining again, but I was hopeful it would brighten up in the afternoon.
The walk starts in a village called Dougarie on the west coast of the island and is part of the beautiful Dougarie Estate which dates back to the 1860s. The estate is around 25,000 acres, including organic farming, field sports, holiday homes, weddings and a golf course.
My video and links to more information are at the end of this blog story.
We parked in a small parking area beside the coastline near the Dougarie Boathouse wedding venue. As soon as we left the car the rain poured down heavily, and we almost turned back. I am so glad we didn’t though!
I can’t always capture beautiful bright photos and video for my blog and channels, so today I decided to just go with what the Scottish weather would bring us. I like walking in the rain as long as I’m not trying to battle the wind as well, and today it was calm but more favourable weather for ducks. 😂
If my photos and video clips are dull, it is what it is. The trick is to try and keep my phone dry though. Wouldn’t it be great if I could clip a tiny umbrella to my phone without blocking the camera lens. I literally looked this up as I wrote this and guess what, you can!
As we entered the Dougarie Estate, the first point of interest was this unusual tree. I’ve never seen a tree shape like this, and it looks like it has lost part of its trunk. With pine-like branches it might be a larch tree.
The footpath was signposted, pointing to a short steep climb up the rough, overgrown stone steps, alongside the drystone wall.
As we waded through the grass and fern lining the narrow path between a fence and the old drystone wall, I was already loving this walk in the rain.
The sound of the pitter-pattering rain on the leaves of the trees was calming, with their canopy sheltering us for a short while. I was trying not to think about potential ticks in the long grass today, it ruins the moment and my mood. 😂
I could hear the sound of pheasants close by and saw two strutting through the grassy area on the other side of the fence. They are hiding in there somewhere.
The first time we visited the Isle of Arran together we went out for dinner in Brodick, and I didn’t know what to order from the menu. Apologies in advance if you’re vegetarian or vegan.
Pheasant was on the menu and Alan said it’s just like chicken, so I ordered this to try something different. As I cut into the meat there was a small hard round ball-like thing inside and I asked him what it was. “Oh, that will just be a pellet, it’s normal” he said. I couldn’t eat it after that, but I also didn’t like the texture and taste anyway.
Huge character trees standing on the other side of the drystone wall were pulling me to go there. The woodlands were looking so enchanting, especially in the rain as the colours were so vivid.
I’m not sure if these woodlands are mainly for visitors staying within the estate, so we continued along the path to find Loch Iorsa.
The heavy rain began to ease off a little, just in time as we left the canopy of trees and the path ahead was more open.
I loved the beginning of this easy walk already and was excited to see what happens next. Just look at this giant tree as we left the woodlands footpath.
Walking in the woodlands or anywhere beside trees always make me happy, no matter the weather. I felt the same when I was a young child as well. Being small among the giant trees felt mysterious and magical to me. Or maybe I read too many Enid Blyton books and was in search of the Enchanted Wood and the Magic Faraway Tree. 🌳😂
When I was ten years old, my Uncle David let me use his CB (Citizens Band) radio so I could chat to people through the radio in his car. I don’t know why I was allowed to talk to strangers at that age, but I was safe. I needed what was called a ‘Handle’, a nickname for radio users. He called me “Little Elf”.
I never knew why he called me this, but when I was older, I was curious and asked him. I remember he looked at me very seriously and said: “Because you looked like a little elf!” I am a woodland elf. 😂 I loved his answer, so this is why I’m taking note of this little memoir that’s been tucked away in my head.
We reached the first ford with the water flowing fast and ankle deep in places. At least it was a flatter surface to wade through, unlike the boulders and rocks at the North Glen Sannox Burn.
It was easier than I thought to cross over and quite refreshing! I was wet anyway with the rain, so having wet feet wasn’t going to be much different.
We were now walking along the misty Glen Iorsa with the Iorsa Water keeping us company along the way.
Ford number two appeared where we both felt more at ease crossing as the first one went smoothly with no trips or falls.
The cloudy views ahead were atmospheric, and I was enjoying the easy flat path that panned out in front of me. We never saw another soul. Well, apart from a wee green beetle or two.
Bright green beetles were moving swiftly along the footpath now and then. I stopped to try and record a video, but this wasn’t working well as my phone camera kept going out of focus and the beetle was running too fast!
No wonder, so would I if a giant shadow was looming over me. I did manage a photo though. I don’t think I’ve ever saw a beetle like this before!
I looked for more information, and The Wildlife Trusts website says it’s a green tiger beetle:
A ferocious and agile predator, the green tiger beetle hunts spiders, ants and caterpillars on heaths, grasslands and sand dunes. It is one of our fastest insects and a dazzling metallic green colour.
The Wildlife Trusts
With an abundance of heather alongside the footpath, this was a perfect place for them to thrive.
When we arrived at the little Loch Iorsa and the small boathouse, the tops of Arran mountain were hidden in the clouds.
A boggier path continues along the loch and beyond but then disappears, so we were stopping here today and return the way we walked. The rain completely stopped and eventually even the sun made an appearance.
The quietness was calming, and I was feeling safe in this environment compared to our strenuous hike two days before when I was standing on a mountain somewhere around the corner of this glen, looking down at Loch Iorsa!
Alan was relaxed as well and could safely capture photos and fly the drone to see how this landscaped looked from above. And look how pretty it is!
The mountain on the left in the far distance is the Castles where we tried to hike two days ago. The loch looks like a map to me, and the small grassy patches like the islands of Scotland. You can see the full drone footage in my video linked below.
When we decided to leave, the low-lying clouds had already disappeared, making way for the sun to shine on our return journey.
What a difference the light of the sun made, making me feel like I was walking back through a new landscape.
Nothing scary or exciting happened on this walk, so it’s a shorter story than my usual ones you’ll be glad to hear. 😂 We both just enjoyed the easy stroll, and an afternoon of no rushing.
The total distance of the walk there and back again was around eight kilometres (five miles).
Thanks for reading the final chapter of our Isle of Arran 2025 visit. I even managed to finish writing up my stories quicker this year!
I’m excited about writing my next blog story as we visited somewhere new in Scotland for two nights in September 2025. It’s a place I’ve wanted to visit for a long time, so instead of just talking about it I made it happen.
Take care everyone!
Love, Dawn-Marie x
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