Brodick Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Brodick Scottish Gaelic: Tràigh a' Chaisteil/Breadhaig
Village
MV Caledonian Isles departing Brodick with part of the town in the background, May 2015
Brodick
Population	Expression error: "Lua error in Module:Tabular_data at line 91: attempt to index field 'data' (a nil value)." must be numeric (2020)
OS grid reference	NS014358
• Edinburgh	96 mi (154 km)
• London	443 mi (713 km)
Civil parish	Kilbride
Council area	North Ayrshire
Lieutenancy area	Ayrshire and Arran
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ISLE OF ARRAN
Postcode district	KA27
Dialling code	01770

Police	Strathclyde
Fire	Strathclyde
Ambulance	Scottish

EU Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	North Ayrshire and Arran
Scottish Parliament	Cunninghame North
Website	North Ayrshire Council
List of places UK Scotland 55°34′34″N 5°09′04″W / 55.576°N 5.151°W / 55.576; -5.151

Brodick (pronounced BROD-ik) is the main village on the Isle of Arran, a beautiful island in Scotland. It's located on the east coast of the island, right by Brodick Bay. The village sits below Goat Fell, which is the tallest mountain on Arran. Its name comes from an old Norse word, "breda-vick," meaning "Broad Bay."

Brodick has a busy harbour where ferries connect the island to the mainland. You'll also find Brodick Castle here, which used to be home to the Dukes of Hamilton. Brodick is one of the biggest villages on Arran and is a central spot because of its ferry terminal. It has many homes, hotels, shops, a health centre, a museum, and a golf course.

Getting Around Brodick
Life in Brodick Village
Brodick Castle
Images for kids
See also

Getting Around Brodick

Brodick is home to Arran's main ferry terminal. This terminal connects the island to Ardrossan on the mainland. From Ardrossan, you can connect to the national rail network.

Ferry Services

The ferry service is run by Caledonian MacBrayne, often called CalMac. The ships MV Glen Sannox and MV Caledonian Isles sail to Arran all year round. The journey takes less than an hour. It's one of the busiest routes on the CalMac network. Sometimes, you might even spot dolphins or basking sharks during the trip!

A smaller ferry, MV Catriona, sails from Lochranza on Arran to Claonaig on the Kintyre peninsula. This service runs from March to October. In winter, the ferry goes to Tarbert instead.

New Ferry Terminal

Brodick has seen a lot of new investment recently. About £30 million was spent on a new pier and passenger terminal. This new terminal can handle two ferries at once, which helps more people and vehicles travel to and from the island. Derek Mackay MSP officially opened the new terminal on April 12, 2018.

The island also received two new ferries that can use two types of fuel. The first one, MV Glen Sannox, started service in January 2025. Its sister ship, MV Glen Rosa, is expected to follow in late 2025. There have been some challenges with getting these new ships ready.

Road and Bus Connections

Brodick is connected by road to all parts of Arran. You can easily reach villages like Lamlash and Whiting Bay to the south. To the north, you can get to Lochranza, and to the west, Blackwaterfoot.

An improved bus terminal opened at the ferry terminal in early 2017. This terminal is a main hub for transport on the island. It provides many bus services to different parts of Arran.

Life in Brodick Village

Brodick is a popular place for holidays and a great starting point for hill-walking. Tourism is a big part of the village's economy. Many local and family-owned businesses operate here. These include hotels, restaurants, shops, and places to stay like bed and breakfasts. You can also find outdoor activity centres.

Local Businesses and Amenities

There is a brewery located nearby in Cladach. Brodick also has a sports and leisure complex and an 18-hole golf course. The village is the largest settlement on Arran, even though Lamlash has more people. Brodick is seen as the main centre for business on the island.

Some of the businesses include the Douglas Hotel & Bar, which has 22 rooms. There's also the Auchrannie Spa and Resort. This resort has two 4-star hotels with 85 rooms. It also offers thirty 5-star self-catering lodges. On site, you'll find a spa, two leisure centres, and an adventure company.

Brodick has many useful facilities for residents and visitors. These include a primary school, a village hall, and a library. There's also a church, a sports park, a health centre, and a public beach. For shopping, Brodick has a large Co-op supermarket in the village centre. There's also a smaller Co-op convenience store at Invercloy.

You can find a variety of other businesses in Brodick. These include hairdressers, estate agents, a post office, and gift shops. There's also a bakery, a chocolate shop, and a bike rental store. The village is home to many cafes, bars, and restaurants.

Nearby Services

The island's high school, council offices, and hospital are all located in Lamlash. Lamlash is about 3 kilometres (2 miles) south of Brodick.

Goat Fell Mountain

The largest mountain on Arran, Goat Fell, overlooks Brodick village and Brodick Bay. Goat Fell is 874 metres (2,867 feet) tall. It is one of the most popular hiking routes in Scotland.

Brodick Castle

Brodick Castle used to be the home of the Dukes of Hamilton. Today, the National Trust for Scotland owns and looks after the castle. A new adventure section for kids opened in the castle park in July 2017.