Car Parking Ardrossan

[Norman H]

I've planned a week cycling in Dumfries and Galloway in early May. We will be staying near Kirkcudbright. There are plenty of good routes nearby but I'm also thinking of taking the ferry from Ardrossan. and spending a day riding around Arran.

Has anyone used the car parking at the ferryport?

The Cal Mac website isn't very helpful, in particular it looks as though the car park closes before the arrival of the last ferry from Brodick. Google streetview shows barriers on the exit and entrance. Is it still possible to retrieve ones car?

[uppadine]

It's very good for leaving your car while cycle touring, lots of space and not expensive. Best ring up Calmac for specific time details.

[nosmarbaj]

As uppadine says, the car park is ok, and I am pretty sure - but not 100% - that you can get your car out after the last ferry arrives - it would be pretty silly if you can't. Alternatively, if it's just for a day, it shouldn't be hard to find somewhere to leave the car within a mile or so of the terminal, and cycle the last bit. Be aware that (unless things have changed since last year) you can't book tickets in advance if not travelling with a motor vehicle, so allow time to buy tickets at the office and then get to the head of the vehicle queue 10-15 minutes before departure, as they tend to load cycles first.

Arran is a fine place to cycle. The coast road round the island is a bit less than 100km, quite hilly in places. You can make a shorter trip by cutting across the Ross or the String roads, as will be clear from a map.

[Graham r]

Try just park .co.uk or download the app

[TrevA]

I parked my car at Ardrossan for 8 days in 2015, whilst we did a tour of the Inner Hebrides. The cost was £16, as I remember, which is remarkable value for money. I can't comment on out of hours car retrieval as we parked up and collected the car both in late afternoon. You paid at a manned booth, but I can't remember whether there was an automatic barrier or if it was manual.

The ferry port is about a mile from the main town, so you could probably just park on the street somewhere, but it didn't look the most salubrious of places. We stopped briefly in the town for fish and chips before our long drive home.

[Norman H]

Thanks to everyone for the information, I have the telephone number and will seek clarification about the car park closing times.

The trip to Arran will be a first for me and is something I'd like to do if the weather is settled. I've yet to plan a route but thanks for the suggestions, hopefully we should be able to see a fair bit of the island in a day.

[matt2matt2002]

I've been on Arran three times. Nice roads. Minimal traffic. Only big hill was in the north on the east side going towards the nice Youth Hostel at Lochranza.

[bogmyrtle]

Arran is beautiful and it is possible to get right round in a day. It is hilly though and if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction it can blow you to a standstill so it's best to give yourself as much time as possible by getting an early ferry.

[PAB855]

We went to Arran a couple of years ago and found to our delight a good supermarket right next to the ferry terminal at Ardrossan. It has a decent cafe upstairs and plenty scope for last minute purchases.
Don't miss a wee visit to the converted school, now a museum in Brodick .

Beautiful island.

Cheers

[Cyril Haearn]

What is shopping like on Arran? Sounds much better than Skye, no bridge. Yet

[Cyril Haearn]

Just did a wikicheck
4629 people live on Arran, about the same as Penmaenmawr

[Norman H]

Thanks again for the further replies, all very encouraging. Having a fixed base in Kirkcudbright gives us the luxury of keeping our plans flexible. The weather in Scotland can often be the deciding factor, especially on the more exposed islands. I've been to Scotland in May before and had some of the best weather but equally I've experienced the opposite extreme.

[largeallan]

I wouldn't leave my car parked anywhere on an Ardrossan street......use the harbour car-park. The prevailing wind is from the SW, so the general consensus is that the island should be tackled clockwise. Turn left out of the Port heading for Lamlash and Whiting Bay....This gets the strength sapping up and downy half of the Island out of the way first. Also, on the more exposed but flat, West of the island, the wind will be at your back and you'll fly along all the way to Lochranza with only a couple of minor pimples to climb After Lochranza the torture begins!! (only Joking) The hill has a lot of little 50yd flat spots to regain your breath, so it isn't as bad as it looks. Then its downhill for miles on nice tarmac followed by a flat pedal all the way back to Brodick......Beautiful cycling country!! Be aware also that the "String road" across the middle of the island is a lot busier traffic-wise, and a more relentless uphill slog than the lochranza hill. If you need supplies, then there is an Asda in Ardrossan, and two Co-ops in Brodick. There aren't many other shops around the island so stock up if you need to. I'd recommend Asda as the Co-op is an overpriced monopoly, as it is in many small Scottish Places.......Anyway, enjoy.....Arran is a Cycle that everyone should try.

Oh, and for an official fuel stop, I'd recommend the Machrie tearoom, right on the main road by Machrie golf course (on the West Coast almost directly opposite Brodick)

[awparker]

This is a rather belated reply as my wife and I have just returned from an excellent holiday, including some cycling, on the Isle of Arran.

A comment was made about the Co-op shops having a monopoly and hence increased prices. This has not been our experience.

The Co-op shops in both Brodick and Lamlash were open 7am to 10pm 7 days a week which planning when to shop very easy and the prices were not unreasonable.

Arran like much of the west coast of Scotland has a very short tourist season on which to survive for the whole year and there were signs that its economy continues to be fragile. As regards local shops, cafes etc it may well be a case of "use it or lose it".

Alan

[Zelcran]

Couldn’t have put it better myself Alan. Thank you for your obvious support when visiting our lovely island. As a small business owner I rely quite heavily on tourism and summer trade to see me through the winter. Your support enables me to continue to support my local community with the only convenience store left on the North West of the island