Goatfell, Cladach, Isle of Arran, Scotland

Goatfell, Cladach, Isle of Arran, Scotland

Goatfell's position means that you cannot miss it while rambling around this part of Arran, and it is even visible from the mainland too. From here, it was a short walk to pick up the National Trust for Scotland footpath to the aforementioned hill's summit. Following that entailed journeying uphill through forestry before emerging on bare hillside above it. Then, the path follows gentler gradients before it started climbing again. On the final stage of the ascent, there is a good path, but you need to be careful that you do not wander off it and end up clambering over rocks. A lapse of concentration caused me to do just that until a helpful fellow walker showed me the right way; I was very thankful for this even though I wasn't far from the top at that stage. My nerves were more than a little frayed after my scrambling and a hail shower made me question my critical reasoning skills. As if that was not enough, snow was still around on that April day and covered the path on the final approach, making the initial descent an uninviting prospect. The top was clear when I finally reach it, but I soon found out why a more than plausible translation of Goatfell is "windy hill"; the wind was not half strong up there. Having captured a few record shots (the sun had gone into hiding), I steeled myself for the descent and got back to my accommodation in Brodick, along the way braving a nasty shower that threatened to soak me through and reminded me of my need of a new hillwalking jacket.

See more photos from this album (Isle of Arran)