Forest bathing at Brodick Castle Country Park

Brodick Castle, Garden and Country Park, run by the National Trust for Scotland, is described as Britain's only island country park, stretching from the seashore to the mountain top on the east side of Arran. Around the castle, rebuilt in 1844 and once a seat of the Dukes of Hamilton, are woodland, waterfalls, ponds and bold rhododendrons, and the woodland trails are a good place to look for red squirrels. Forestry and Land Scotland's forests around the castle add walks from a gorge to easy forest roads.

Cladach car park, on the A841 about two miles north of the ferry terminal, is run by the Trust and is charged; there is a bus stop close by. The formal gardens include the Plant Hunters' Walk and the Silver Garden, and with a woodland café and the Isle Be Wild play park the castle end can be busy. For quieter time, follow the woodland trails away from the castle. The hill path to Goatfell also starts here. The castle, café and gardens keep their own opening hours, and the castle has an entry charge.