Brodick Travel Video Guide

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Although the resort of BRODICK (from the Norse breidr vik , "broad bay") is a place of only moderate charm, it does at least have a grand setting in a wide, sandy bay set against a backdrop of granite mountains. Its development as a tourist resort was held back for a long time by its elitist owners, the dukes of Hamilton, though nowadays, as the island's capital and main communication hub, Brodick is by far the busiest town on Arran.

The dukes lived at Brodick Castle (daily: April-June, Sept & Oct 11am-4.30pm; July & Aug 11am-5pm; GBP6; NTS), on a steep bank on the north side of the bay. The interior is comfortable if undistinguished, but the walled gardens (daily 9.30am-dusk; gardens and country park only GBP2.50) and extensive grounds, contain a treasury of exotic plants and trees and command a superb view across the bay. Buried in the grounds there is a bizarre Bavarian-style summerhouse lined entirely with pine cones, one of three built by the eleventh duke to make his wife, Princess Marie of Baden, feel at home.

Brodick's tourist office (May-Sept Mon-Sat 9am-7.30pm, Sun 10am-5pm; Oct-April Mon-Sat 9am-5pm; tel 01770/302401) is by the CalMac pier, and has reams of information on every activity from pony trekking to paragliding. Unless you've got to catch an early-morning ferry, however, there's little reason to stay in Brodick, though should you need to, the best rooms close to the ferry terminal are at the excellent Dunvegan House Hotel (tel 01770/302811; GBP60-70), the Art Deco Invercloy Hotel (tel 01770/302225, invercloyhotel@sol.co.uk ; GBP60-70; March-Oct) or Carrick Lodge (tel 01770/302550; GBP40-50), a sandstone manse, south of the

pier on the Lamlash road. The nearest campsite is Glenrosa (tel 01770/302380), a lovely, but very basic farm site (cold water only and no showers), two miles from town off the B880 to Blackwaterfoot. For food , the only place that really stands out is the moderately expensive seafood restaurant Creelers (tel 01770/302810; mid-March to Oct), on the road to the castle. The Wineport , near the castle, does above-average bar meals, offering panini, pizzas.

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