(Gaelic name meaning: The High Island)
An t-Eilean Àrd
Lamlash is a sheltered bay on the beautiful Isle of Arran, set in the busy waters of the Firth of Clyde. Visitors flock to Arran to see ‘Scotland in miniature’ with mountains in the north merging into verdant hills, then fertile fields as you travel south.
Nature is at the heart of Arran, and the surrounding seas are teeming with creatures. Porpoises and seals can be spotted here all year round, and in the summer months basking sharks can be seen meandering through the waves.
Lamlash Bay, which looks out towards Holy Isle, is home to the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST - a marine conservation charity who successfully campaigned for the UK’s first No Take Zone. These protected seas are home to rare and special creatures on the seafloor. Venturing below the surface will reward you with a hive of unique marine life, from seagrass beds to kelp forests, maerl beds and rockpools.
For those that want to stay dry, pop into COAST’s Discovery Centre to uncover this incredible world beneath the waves, and meet the team working hard to protect our marine environment.
A bit about the site
The COAST Discovery Centre provides a unique opportunity to connect to our seas, through interactive displays, including videos, games and activites. Taking centre stage is our catch and release marine tank, filled with creatures from Arran’s seas. The Discovery Centre is situated at the end of Lamlash Green next to the Coastguard station. The nearest bus stop is about 100m away opposite Arran High School. If driving, there is public parking nearby at the end of Lamlash Green. There is also a shop, showcasing beautiful items from local Arran artists, as well as children’s picture and activity books, ID guides and rockpooling kits available to rent.
What’s on…
COAST offers a full programme of events for all ages. Join knowledgeable guides on shore scrambles around the island to learn more about the intertidal zone or learn to snorkel with our trained instructors and discover a whole new world beneath the surface. They also offer opportunities to get hands-on experience helping with their scientific monitoring projects on board their research vessel, COAST Explorer. Check out what’s on here.
© Helen Logan
© Helen Logan
Getting here
Public transport links by bus from Brodick
Ferries to the mainland Ardrossan – Brodick Connecting train services to Ardrossan from Glasgow Central
Accessibility
Fully wheelchair accessible
The Centre is 50m away from the car park No hearing loop available Captions for exhibition video displays will be available in 2023 Display information in audio and text Some areas of the venue have low lighting The venue is well ventilated and sanitation and face masks are available
Useful links
Arran Coast
COAST Discovery Centre Arran Snorkel Trail
Visit Arran
Visit Scotland
Responsible Access
Wondrous creatures in the waters
Look out for
Basking sharks
Harbour porpoise
Bottlenose dolphin
Seals
Otters
Peregrine falcons Oystercatchers Eider ducks
Check out the latest sightings on HWDT Whale Track
Adorable Otters
Although otters are rare across the rest of Scotland, visitors to Arran may be lucky enough to spot the many resident otters by rivers and shores all over the island. Living in underground burrows called ‘holts’, otters feed on the bountiful fish found in these waters. Look out for their five-toed footprints and droppings to find clues that they may be lurking nearby.
Otter image © Helen Logan
Basking sharks
Basking sharks were once hunted in the Clyde as a valuable source of oil to be used in lamps or in industry. Around a quarter of a basking shark’s total body weight is made up of their oily livers, which meant a lot of oil from just one of these massive sharks. The Clyde was home to Scotland’s last basking shark fishery, which closed as recently as 1995.
Plankton image © Andy Tait
microscopic & massive
As the second largest fish in the world, basking sharks can grow as big as ten meters long - a true mammoth of the seas. Basking sharks are gentle giants, as despite their intimidating size they feed on microscopic plants and animals called plankton. In fact most of the amazing animals you might spot along the Hebridean Whale Trail rely on plankton - from fish and birds to basking sharks and whales.