THe iSLe Of
ARRAn BRUCE’S ISLAND
T
he Isle of Arran features prominently in the history of King Robert the Bruce, and many visitors trace his footsteps to King’s Cave, near Blackwaterfoot, where it is believed that he once hid. According to folklore, it was in this cave, exhausted and disenchanted after a series of defeats by the English, that the king encountered a tiny spider. He watched as it tried and repeatedly failed to secure its web on the slippery cave walls – finally succeeding on the seventh attempt. The spider’s determination inspired the weary warrior to continue with his own fight, and he went on to secure victory at the Battle of Bannockburn. Having been a hide-out, Arran went on to become a stronghold for the legendary Scot, and other sites with
links to his story include Whiting Bay and Brodick Castle.
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