Marilyn · Arran
Mullach Mor
The Big Top, high point of Holy Island in Lamlash Bay off the east coast of Arran. The island is owned by a Buddhist community and the climb passes painted Buddha rock-carvings on its way to a magnificent 314m viewpoint over the Firth of Clyde.
Gaelic: “summit, top, big” · Pronunciation: mull-ach more
Quick facts
- Height
- 314m/ 1030ft
- Grid ref
- NS 06317 29741
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
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Standard route
rough grassland 50% · heather moorland 30% · schist outcrops 20%
A foot ferry from Lamlash lands at the north end of Holy Island; from there the path climbs steeply south-east up the spine of the island to the summit. Roughly 5km and 350m of ascent; two and a half hours plus ferry time.
Terrain
A clear stony path the whole way, but steep and rough underfoot in places. Holy Island has feral goats and Eriskay ponies — keep dogs strictly on the lead.
In winter
Snow rarely settles on Holy Island but the ferry is weather-dependent and may not run in winter. Check sailings in advance and accept that a south-westerly gale will keep you on the mainland.
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow2h 17m
- Edinburgh5h 59m
OS maps: OS Landranger 69, OS Explorer 361S
Mobile signal: Good signal across most of the island; EE reliable thanks to the Lamlash mast across the bay.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:10
- Sunset
- 21:23
- Civil dawn
- 04:22
- Civil dusk
- 22:12
NOAA Solar Calculator · 15 May 2026