Although the Cowal Peninsula has everything you want for a sightseeing holiday, it's always refreshing to visit other areas and re-charge the batteries (also gets me out of the kitchen!). Last month we returned to one of the southernmost Islands in Scotland - The Isle of Arran (not to be confused with the Aran Islands of Ireland where the jumpers come from). When I say we returned - we actually lived on the island for four years when we made our great escape from Glasgow city living in 1990. For four years we enjoyed being island dwellers living just along the beach from Lamlash Bay (below). and I have to tell you it was a wonderful experience. Living there was like being on holiday 24 hours a day. It is often described as "Scotland in miniature" because it has mountains, beaches, cliffs, farmlands and thousands of acres of untamed forests, hills and waterfalls, all packaged together in an area approximately 20 miles long by 10 miles wide. This is the highest peak on Arran - Goat Fell (below) and there's a steady stream of walkers trekking to the peak at any time of year. In fact there's a Goat Fell Race every year and people actually run up and down... that would be for the fit folk!

There are traces of settlements on Arran as far back as 4,000 BC although it is thought there might have been inhabitants going back as far as 7,000 BC. It is protected on it's western coast by the Kilbrannan Sound and the Mull of Kintyre while the Firth of Clyde and the Ayrshire coast stretches south by it's eastern shores so it's fairly well protected all round. The Gulf Stream keeps the waters of Arran warmer than the norm and this is why there are many palm trees and other exotic plants dotted all round the island, in fact a neighbour of ours had a very substantial castor oil plant in her front garden when we lived there and on re-visiting we found it had doubled in size. There is everything to do here, walking, sailing, golfing (Arran has six golf courses) and it is a particular magnet for geologists as the island lies on the Highland Boundary Fault. There are three medieval castles two in ruins and one of which is still inhabited - Brodick Castle (left) - now run by the National Trust for Scotland.

Across from Lamlash Bay lies Holy Island (right) which was bought in 1992 by the Buddhist Community of Samye Ling. Nowadays they have a fully functioning community and you can take a boat ride over to the island - weather permitting - and spend a few hours.

You can sail over to Arran from Ardrossan - about 55 minutes - stay on the island - there's plenty of accommodation to suit all tastes - and then take the Lochranza ferry at the top of the island over to Kintyre. Or you can spend just a day on Arran although that would be very expensive if you took your car. Have a day off, park your car in the large ferry terminal car park at Ardrossan then catch a bus from the pier which will take you right round the island. There's a frequent service so you can get off and on as you please. The funny thing is when you sail into Brodick Bay and the huge ferry disembarks, for about fifteen minutes the place is teaming with bodies all meeting and greeting, and then, just as suddenly, serenity returns as visitors and islanders alike cram into buses and cars and head off round the island to their favoured spot. All in all the Island of Arran is well worth a visit. In fact people have been known to holiday there and never go home - it's just that kind of place!

Here at the cottage - well, after erecting deer fencing round the entire garden this spring and successfully keeping the munch machines off my roses - and everything else - this wee chap (right) appeared two weeks ago. Cute as he is, he is captured here just finishing off some flowering mimulus which are unfortunately just the right height. Hopefully he'll be the only one of his kind we see in the garden, if he finds a mate I think we'll have to move!

The weather's been unusually warm recently and for the first time since we moved here the garden is looking like I planned. You wouldn't believe it but I have to water the garden every evening it's been so warm and dry, so, armed with my trusty hose I'll now do the needful and also provide the midgies with their evening meal - country living, eh!