It was a bit of a last minute plan, so with some food stuffed into my running vest I caught the train to Troon and the ferry head to Arran. Because I wasn't staying on the island, I chose to run in a clockwise direction which helped me time the southern tidal sections in relation to ferry times. At around 1545 I set out on the route used by Matt Stapley. The sea was totally flat and glassy for the whole route, but I can see how the tidal sections could be more challenging closer to high tide and in bad weather.
The southern section has fewer streams to refill at so I got a bit dehydrated in the afternoon sun, and filled up in some sketchy looking streams (to no eventual consequence!). The beach sections were tough underfoot but it was nice to be so close to the sea, rock hopping along! On the west coast the water sources improved as the trail turned mostly to road until the section between Lochranza and Sannox. It was a drag up the final and biggest hill on the route to traverse round into Brodick Bay and down into the town. I was just in time for the shop to open at 6am to have some recovery food before the long and cold one and a half hour wait for the ferry terminal to open. By 11am I was back in Glasgow and ready for bed!
It's a really beautiful route that I'd like to come back to in daylight!