Glen Rosa is a fine glen leading into the heart of Arran's dramatic granite mountains. This circular route visits the glen and some of the beautiful pools in its river - including the small pool dubbed by Instagrammers as the 'Blue Pool'.
Varied; woodland paths, well-made glen paths, tracks, minor road. The route can be boggy in places.
Bus to Cladach Centre.
Cladach.
The walk is described from Cladach at the north end of Brodick Bay. There is parking at the Wineport Bistro, or by the mountain rescue base on the opposite side of the road; you can reach this point on foot from Brodick using the Fisherman's Path. Begin the walk by heading up the track to the right of the pink Wineport Bistro, passing behind it and then uphill into the woods.
Ignore a path off right, but take the next turning on the left. The path soon crosses a wooden footbridge, continuing through the trees to reach a second, larger footbridge. On the far side it swings right and then left to zig-zag uphill to meet a tarmac lane. Turn left along this, then take the next track off right. This continues through the mature trees. Keep left at a fork, following a narrower path near the edge of the forest. After passing through a drystone dyke, the path turns left, then back right.
The path fades out - continue near the bottom edge of the trees - there are a couple of boggy bits to jump over. At the edge of the forest there is a gate - pass through this and continue, now on a well-constructed path that leads up the open glen. The mountain views improve as the path curves round.
Eventually a footbridge is reached; head across this. Beneath the bridge is a deep pool that has become popular in recent years with wild swimmers.
The walk back down the glen turns left here, but to visit the Blue Pool first turn right (the pool is only around 100m or so upriver). The main path up the glen is soon joined - fork right off it again on a short path that leads to the Blue Pool. The actual pool here is tiny but deep, with a large rocky slab below it and a small waterfall above, backed by a view to Arran's most impressive mountain, conical Cìr Mhòr.
Return to the main path and follow it down the glen. It crosses a footbridge over the Garbh Allt and continues down the west side of the Glenrosa Water. Pass through a gate and continue; the path becomes a track.
The track leads to an, often overcrowded, parking area above the Glen Rosa campsite. Continue ahead down the now tarmac road; after around 1km it meets the B880. Turn left for a short distance to reach a junction with the A841, turn left again, crossing the bridge to reach the safety of a pavement. Continue along this for another 1km to return to the start.
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