about kildonan
South-east Arran, where the island feels spacious and unhurried. A brilliant base for beaches, shoreline walks, woodland trails— and a calmer pace than the busier bits of the island.
Our New Addition
Our New Addition
The Café & Shop
The Café & Shop
A friendly place to pause, warm up, and feel at home. Expect: Tea and coffee, home bakes, soup and sandwiches, Essentials in the shop, plus local treats where possible. The menu may vary day to day as we get established.
A friendly place to pause, warm up, and feel at home. Expect: Tea and coffee, home bakes, soup and sandwiches, Essentials in the shop, plus local treats where possible. The menu may vary day to day as we get established.
Coffee by Cairngorm
A blurb about Cairngorm and the type of beans that are being served + the machine used could be placed here.
Coffee by Cairngorm
A blurb about Cairngorm and the type of beans that are being served + the machine used could be placed here.
Meals, Homemade
Unsure if the frozen food setup is still going ahead, but if so, info can go here.
Meals, Homemade
Unsure if the frozen food setup is still going ahead, but if so, info can go here.
The Hall
The Hall
Kildonan Village Hall
Kildonan Village Hall
Kildonan Hall started as a reading room for women in 1915, while their men were at war. It's evolved since—shaped by what the community needs. That tradition continues. A practical, welcoming space for gatherings, celebrations, classes, talks, and local projects.
Kildonan Hall started as a reading room for women in 1915, while their men were at war. It's evolved since—shaped by what the community needs. That tradition continues. A practical, welcoming space for gatherings, celebrations, classes, talks, and local projects.
The Rocks
The Rocks
Arran's Geopark Coast
Arran's Geopark Coast
Arran is a UNESCO Global Geopark. At Kildonan, the shore is famous for its dyke swarm - long, dark sheets of igneous rock cutting across the beach like built walls. They formed when molten rock forced through cracks in older stone, cooled, and was revealed by erosion. You don't need specialist knowledge. Just walk the beach.
Arran is a UNESCO Global Geopark. At Kildonan, the shore is famous for its dyke swarm - long, dark sheets of igneous rock cutting across the beach like built walls. They formed when molten rock forced through cracks in older stone, cooled, and was revealed by erosion. You don't need specialist knowledge. Just walk the beach.
Our Secret Spots
Our Secret Spots
A Small Village, with lots to Discover
Whisky History
The south end has a rich whisky story. In the 18th and 19th centuries, hidden burns and rugged coast made this area natural for illicit distilling and smuggling. Part folklore, part hard economics, part island ingenuity. Today that heritage lives on at Lagg Distillery, further down the coast—a modern nod to a wilder chapter.
Whisky History
The south end has a rich whisky story. In the 18th and 19th centuries, hidden burns and rugged coast made this area natural for illicit distilling and smuggling. Part folklore, part hard economics, part island ingenuity. Today that heritage lives on at Lagg Distillery, further down the coast—a modern nod to a wilder chapter.
The "Dinosaur Footprint"
You'll hear about a dinosaur footprint on Arran—but the famous tracks are older than most dinosaurs. Triassic reptile prints, preserved when soft sediment hardened into rock. A rare snapshot of movement in deep time. The sort of detail that makes a walk feel alive with history.
The "Dinosaur Footprint"
You'll hear about a dinosaur footprint on Arran—but the famous tracks are older than most dinosaurs. Triassic reptile prints, preserved when soft sediment hardened into rock. A rare snapshot of movement in deep time. The sort of detail that makes a walk feel alive with history.
Wildlife, Waterfalls & Forest
Seals hauled out on rocks. Sea birds overhead. If you're patient and lucky—otters. Just inland: mossy forest trails, burns, little clearings. A highlight is Eas Mòr waterfall—plunging into a steep ravine locals call the "Hidden Valley." Especially impressive after rain.
Wildlife, Waterfalls & Forest
Seals hauled out on rocks. Sea birds overhead. If you're patient and lucky—otters. Just inland: mossy forest trails, burns, little clearings. A highlight is Eas Mòr waterfall—plunging into a steep ravine locals call the "Hidden Valley." Especially impressive after rain.