Our morning's walk has taken us up behind Brodick, the island's main village, past the wooded 'Fairy Glen' and onto a swathe of open land that offers up vast seascapes featuring Holy Isle to the south and the Isle of Bute to the north. This is one of several easy walks on Arran suitable to do in the rain, and there are plenty more wet weather activities besides. We have our sights set on the lovely Old Pier Tearoom in Lamlash for a slab of homemade cake after our walk. Then we'll go back to our caravan at Lochranza Campsite, and hole up with a cup of tea and views of wildlife - so far this trip we have spotted red deer, an osprey and a manx shearwater.
Yesterday, when the rain fell in torrents, we enjoyed some retail therapy (my favourite island shops include Arran Aromatics for beautifully scented toiletries made locally, and Arran Active for a good range of outdoor and country wear), and went on a guided tour of the Isle of Arran Distillery in Lochranza. This is perhaps the perfect wet weather activity - not least because you get a nice taster of whisky at the end to warm you through.
The sun does put in more appearances, however, and we enjoy a warm circular walk (one of the nicest on Arran - think woodland, pebbled beaches and views to Kintyre) to King's Caves near Blackwaterfoot, where Robert the Bruce is said to have had his legendary encounter with a spider. The following day, in another sunny spell, we venture along the shores from Sannox to the secret village of Laggantuin. Set in a natural basin above the path, the remains of stone cottages - empty since the clearances in the 19th century - are hidden from view and sheltered from the wind. I look across the water, a mesmerising palette of silver, grey and pastel blue, to the slivery landmass of Kintyre. The sea begins to darken as a monstrous cloud broken by sheaths of gold-leaf sunlight heads down the strait. We're in for another soaking before we encounter a rainbow again.
