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Easter marks the start of the busy tourist season on Arran and this year promises to be no different with a host of activities for the family and individuals to suit all tastes and preferences.
Getting your long Easter weekend off to a good start, visitors can relax in the beautifully manicured gardens of the reopened Arran Heritage Museum, open throughout the entire weekend between 10.30am and 4.30pm, while enjoying tasty treats at the Cafe Rosaburn which has also just reopened for the season.
Saturday is bound to be a fun filled family day with two large events taking place in both Brodick and Lamlash. Environmental community group COAST will be hosting an Eggtopus Trail with eight challenges which will include opportunities to see, touch and learn about sea creatures with an egg and baby theme mixed into the educational activities. Never a dull day with the COAST team, there will also be games and activities and naturally, eggs of the chocolate variety. The fun starts at the Old Pavilion and Lamlash Green at 11am which will leave plenty of time to head towards Brodick afterwards.
A Festival of Rugby will be enjoyed at the Ormidale park in Brodick, starting at 11.30am, where the Arran Rugby Club will be competing in a friendly game against Ardrossan Rugby Club. There will also be youth and mini games and coaching activities, not to mention hot food and ice cold beer which will be available throughout the day.
A whole afternoon of fun awaits children, parents and the young of heart at Brodick Castle where on Sunday, between 11am and 3.30pm, the incredibly popular Easter egg hunt takes place along with games, fun activities and the popular Easter bonnet parade. There is also a duck derby, Easter egg decorating and the unmissable Isle be Wild adventure playpark where children’s imaginations can be allowed to run wild in the adventure playground nestled in the forest and above the trees.
And to celebrate the original origins of Easter, churches across Arran will be hosting religious services which can be found in the church section in the Arran Banner.
Across the island and at various locations and establishments, Arran businesses will be geared up for Easter celebrations with special menus, Easter offers and a host of themed events. From the freshly refurbished distillery shop and cafe in Lochranza to the bars and restaurants across, many with live music, to the retail shops such as the Old Byre at Machrie and Chameleon in Lamlash, there will be something for everyone to enjoy this Easter.
Arran Coast
Snowdrops and daffodils mark the start of spring on land while in Arran’s seas it is the spring bloom of plankton that indicates the change of season. Plankton – small, microscopic plants and creatures that float in the sea – billions of microalgae, protozoans, small crustaceans, and the eggs and larval stages of larger animals such as jellyfish, lobsters and anemones. They are essential for fish and whales to feed on and generate roughly 50% of the oxygen we breathe. To learn more about sea eggs and juvenile marine life, come along to COAST’s fun Eggtopus Trail (today) Saturday from 11am at the Old Pavilion on Lamlash Shore. There will be eight activity stations with games, live local marine sea life and different challenges to win some delicious chocolate eggs! . Remember we will be opening our community-led Octopus Centre to the public on World Oceans Day (8th June) – we look forward to seeing you. COAST are a local community-led, marine conservation charity; we depend upon your donations and grants. For more information about the event or any of our other work, please drop us a line at email@arrancoast.com
Chameleon Ladies’ Boutique
Come and visit Chameleon Ladies’ Boutique this Easter. Now is the time to update your wardrobe for the season! All our spring collections have now arrived from leading brands such as Masai, B Young, Joe Browns, Emreco, Yest & Capri. New for this spring we have lovely colourful styles from Scottish brand Marble Fashions – not available online.
At Chameleon we are proud to offer you a personal service. Getting a great look is not just about choosing the right garment size, it’s about matching shape and style to your individual needs. We have an extensive range in stock from everyday basics and stylish casual wear, to outfits suitable for graduations, weddings and summer events. Why not try us first before spending hours trawling the internet or searching high-and-low on the mainland?
You can find us in central Lamlash next to the Ship House car park. Our regular hours are Tuesday to Saturday 10.30am – 5pm, but we are also open this Easter Monday 12pm – 4pm. Find us on Facebook or visit our website www.chamleonarran.com for more details.
Crafts & Company
Crafts & Company are hosting their first craft fayre of the year on Monday 2nd April 11-3pm in Whiting Bay village hall. There will be over 25 stallholders with handmade gifts made on the island including textile art, baby knits, jewellery, paper art, fabric crafts, photo art, wooden crafts, stained glass and so much more! We have a wonderful tearoom serving tea/coffee, cake and warm hot cross buns. There will be children’s creative workshops (£3 per child or 2 for £5) in the small hall next to the tearoom. Something for all and everyone is most welcome.
Crafts & Company is a collective of seven ladies who run monthly craft fayres through until November. They also run a monthly craft club and work with charities to create handmade items and/or raise much needed funds. They are currently completing a Friendship Quilt for Disability Africa. Working with local artist Gordon Davidson the group are creating handmade printed items to help raise money for children in Nepal. Crafts & Company’s website keeps everyone up to date with all their news and events – www.craftsandcompany.net
Arran Distillery
This Easter weekend you may want to pay a visit to Lochranza and the award winning Isle of Arran Distillery where the welcome is warm and you are guaranteed an enjoyable afternoon spent learning about one of our island’s greatest exports. Tours run 7 days a week, every hour on the hour and can be combined with an extended tutored tasting with some of the whisky industry’s friendliest and most knowledgeable guides for the ultimate treat. Why not try a dram of the Arran 18 year-old Single Malt which just won Gold at the World Whiskies Awards! You can also enjoy the views and wonderful hospitality of CASKS Café where light snacks, distiller’s platters and a variety of delicious cakes and pastries are available every day. The newly refurbished gift shop will provide you with some great gift inspiration or a well-earned treat for yourself! Featuring a great selection of Arran Single Malts, including some distillery exclusive bottlings, you will also find souvenirs from all over the island to take home as a memento of your time spent on Arran. Enjoy the spirit of our island and spend some time at the Isle of Arran Distillery over the Easter weekend.
Number 16 ‘pop up’ at the Wineport
The Wineport will welcome Number 16 restaurant to Arran from 5 – 8 April for a ‘pop up’ dining experience. The event is already a sell out and we have been very grateful for the positive response.
Number 16 is a small 35 cover restaurant split over two levels in the heart of Glasgow’s West End. We pride ourselves in offering a high quality dining experience in a relaxed, unhurried atmosphere with welcoming staff and are proud to bring fresh and unusual ideas to modern Scottish cooking.
Business partners and good friends Gerry Mulholland and Joel Pomfret have owned the business since February 2009 after working for the previous owners and are part of a tightknit, experienced and dedicated team of 15 staff.
At Number 16, our menu is ever-changing and we ensure that every element is prepared from scratch and created on the premises; each dish is crafted with great care and attention to both taste and presentation.
Gerry and Joel are both from Arran and, whilst we have both travelled abroad extensively (which has heavily influenced our menus), we are equally passionate about using the island’s produce, along with other local suppliers.
Over the years, we have received a number of culinary awards recognising the quality of our food and customer service. Winning the award for the Best Restaurant Experience at the National Finals of the Scottish Thistle Awards a couple of weeks ago was, however, one accolade that we are particularly proud of.
The opportunity to bring Number 16 to Arran as a ‘pop up’ came about through our friend Louise MacAlister who runs the Wineport. We thought it was a great idea and are excited to give Arran locals and visitors alike the chance to enjoy a taste of what we do in Glasgow!
Old Byre Visitor Centre
The Old Byre Visitor Centre in Machrie is situated just north of Machrie golf course, just look out for the signs. Here you will find a friendly family business comprising the Old Byre Showroom, Café Thyme and a large children’s play area. The Old Byre sells quality knitwear from brands such as Fisherman out of Ireland, Scott Officer, Eribe and Harley of Scotland, it has clothing from Seasalt, Mistral, Thought and Barbour, sheepskin rugs, leather bags, accessories and lots more - a haven of lovely things to try on! Café Thyme has its own wood burning oven where delicious flatbread and Pides are made to order (Turkish style pizza), lamb kofte kebabs using local lamb, homemade soups, cakes, home grown salads and over 30 loose leaf teas to tempt you. Catering for all tastes there are vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options, open 10am5pm with lunches served 12noon-3pm,it is fully licensed with spectacular views. From the café you can safely watch the chil-
dren’s play area with trampoline, large Lego style bricks, sand pit, digger den, slide, swings and a grassed area for football, basketball and swing ball, all for only £1.50 per child to cover maintenance and upkeep. The Old Byre Visitor Centre is certainly worth a visit and is open 7 days a week.
Arran Heritage Museum
The island’s ‘must-see’ attraction and whether you are a firsttime visitor or one our regulars, the Arran Heritage Museum at Rosaburn on the outskirts of Brodick must surely come top of your list of places to visit this Easter.
Spread over a large site with a kiddies outside play area, picnic area and café, there is so much to see that you could easily spend a family day here, and entry is not expensive!
The 19th century cottage, the 1920’s schoolroom, the blacksmith’s shop, farm implement shed, and the Geology Room explaining Arran’s unique geology, are only a few of the many attractions.
Time spent at the museum will quickly help you to appreciate so much more about our lovely island and its past and present. It’s open seven days a week from 10.30a, to 4.30pm. We look forward to seeing you.