Lamlash Bay

Drop anchor in Lamlash Bay and you're sitting in one of Arran's most sheltered spots, with the ancient Holy Isle sitting right in front of you as a dramatic natural windbreak. The village onshore is the island's administrative hub, with a secondary school, hospital and police station — basically the beating heart of Arran — and the shore-front hotel is an easy row if you fancy a meal out. The backdrop of Holy Isle, with its Buddhist retreat and wild ponies, makes this one of the more quietly memorable anchorages on the west coast of Scotland.