Goat Fell

Goat Fell, view from the port of Brodick

Goat Fell (also Goatfell according to the State Survey Company Ordnance Survey ) is 874 m, the highest mountain on the Isle of Arran. Together with nearby Brodick Castle, he belongs to the National Trust for Scotland. Goat Fell is made of granite and was shaped by the last ice age.

The name means either the mountain of wind ( Scottish Gaelic: Gaoithe Bheinn ) derived from the Gaelic word Gaoth (wind), or goat mountain ( schott Gael. Gaoda Bheinn ) derived from the Norse word Geita Fjall.

Goat Fell is of Brodick Ferry, about three kilometers north near Brodick Castle. Goat Fell has several ascent routes. The most used route ( about five kilometers ) starts at the parking Cadach Car Park. At first, the trail winds through the woods of Castle Park, passing many rhododendron bushes. From about 300 meters above sea level it reaches open moorland. The summit is reached via the east ridge of the mountain. Sudden changes in weather near the summit can quickly reduced to a few meters visibility. At the summit the view targets are shown on a blackboard. On a clear day you can see in the southwest of Ireland and the north of Loch Lomond.

An alternative, some 30 kilometers long route runs from Sannox about Allt a ' Chapuill on the ridge of Cioch na h- Oighe (Young Maidens Breast, 661 m). Next, the path goes over the mountain Mullach Buidhe (Yellow Summit, 819 m ) over the pass beneath North Goat Fell (818 m ) and along the ridge Stacach Ridge up to the summit of Goat Fell. The descent is in a southerly direction over Cnocan Burn ( Burn of the Knoll ) to Brodick Castle.

Goat Fell is one of the most popular tourist destinations on Arran. The intensive use of the ways that often only a thin layer of vegetation has been greatly eroded. Since 1970, the paths are maintained by extensive repair work in state.

Beginning of the 19th century were created on Goat Fell drainage to drain the wettest areas of the mountain. Meanwhile, some dams have been built to hold back the water. This is the natural habitat for the typical vegetation here, are, for example, peat moss was obtained. Higher towards the summit can be found among other women coat, vulgar Milkwort, dwarf juniper and herb - willow. The Goat Fell is also the southernmost habitat of the ptarmigan in the UK.