For the last ten years I've been dragging Sue around Scotland, not always walking, we've taken in the sights on the way, you may not believe me but the weather gods have always smiled on us, very little rain and I was beginning to think the dreaded highland midge was just a myth, dreamt up by chemical companies to aid product sales, Arran brought us back to earth with a bang.

Arran welcomed us with grey skies and persistent drizzle, the weather man promised the drizzle would turn to heavy rain, then torrential downpours, all to last seven days, as we know he doesn't always get it right, could this be the time he did?

Three walks were planned between days set aside for sightseeing, The Cock of Arran, Goatfell of course and Mullach Mor the roof of Holy Island. As the week panned out it was obvious all three would not be possible, unknown to me Sue had a plan B, shorter walks between the downpours, we would try to avoid the bad weather as best we could, all in all I think we succeeded.

The Walks, Machrie Moor Stone Circles, for anyone interested in prehistory this is standing stone overload, Stonehenge eat your heart out, Cock of Arran, a delightful coastal walk starting on the shore of Loch Ranza, ending with an airy climb over Bearradh Tom a' Muidhe from Laggan Cottage,Glenashdale Falls , billed as the most beautiful waterfall on the island. The Fallen Rocks, a 300 year old landslide three and a half miles north of Sannox, the wettest walk of the week, made even wetter when someone (me) fell in the North Sannox Burn two miles from home. The Kings Cave, on the western shore, one of the caves is said to have been the refuge in which Robert the Bruce had his famed encounter with a spider. Goatfell from Corrie, the big one, we took a chance on the weather following local advice, the views from the summit were stunning, and Holy Island well, we'll have to return another time.