Isle of Arran in November?

There are brilliantly cheap through advance train fares, from just £10.50 each way from Carlisle to Ardrossan Harbour, usually available just a few weeks in advance, even 2 or 3 days before sometimes. I use them frequently, especially if you.get a further 1/3 off with a railcard like me.
I get it for £7.05 each way from the Cumbrian Coast to Glasgow, just a crazy cheap price.
The big problem is the boat. Ardrossan is a difficult harbour, very prone to storms. It is far from unusual for the ferries to be unable to run for a couple of days. Sometimes they divert to Gourock, when that linkspan is actually working!! A rather longer sailing.

The summer ferry to Lochranza only runs once a day in winter.

Visitor attractions are closed on Arran, but the walking is still there.

What I would do from Cumbria is to book day trips from Carlisle (train fares are so cheap), out on the 0651 train, back on the 2010 from Glasgow. Then if there are no ferries to Arran either spend the day in Glasgow, or divert to Dunoon, Rothesay or Cumbrae if those boats are running.
That way you avoid getting stranded on Arran.
Pro tip - to Dunoon CalMac don't run in iffy weather. Instead get the McGills bus from Glasgow to the Western Ferries slipway at Gourock. They sail to Dunoon in almost any weather.

EDIT- Just checked, the winter overhaul schedule is not yet out, so we don't know which vessel is on the Arran run- that matters in poor weather!!

Although Brodick Castle is closed, the gardens and estate are open all year round. Lochranza distillery is doing tours in November and the ruined castle is open 24/7.

I really enjoyed Arran a lot. I wasn't there in November and I had a car when I was there, but there are so many things you can do and places to see. If it were me, I would try it - I would love to go back to Arran and visit there.

And even if Brodick Castle is closed, the gardens are beautiful and the grounds are lovely to see. In fact, I didn't even visit the castle interior - I just hung out in the gardens and had a snack in the cafe.

Brodick is a fun town, and I loved the port of Lochranza (that's where you will see the castle ruins wasleys mentioned). Beautiful shoreline and sea and the ruins are right there next to the water. I know there is a bus that runs from Brodick to Lochranza although I don't know how often it runs in the winter.

Also Arran has a great website so I would check there for information as well. https://www.visitarran.com/

The island bus service is the same year round, as it connects with the ferries and the one boat service is essentially the same year round.
Within reason the buses wait for a slightly late running ferry service.
Basically an anticlockwise and a clockwise service round the island and a service down the string road (the road that cuts through the middle of the island) meet each ferry.

Today is a case in point regarding ferry cancellations.

There was no specific forecast of high wind in Scotland ahead of the rain, but Storm Babet had other ideas.

Wind came, and with it sea swells. All Firth of Clyde sailings, except to Largs, have been withdrawn during the afternoon, including both routes to Arran. Both Arran routes are in doubt for tomorrow. This is not unusual for the time of year.

The Fifth of Clyde is not the Puget Sound, and Cal Mac are not WSF.

One possible compromise would be to stay in either Largs or Gourock for a few days, then you are well placed to take advantage of any good weather for the ferries, but also have easy access to Glasgow.

I have no specific recommendations for hotels in Largs but suggest Nardinis for meals. In Gourock I recommend The Spinnaker Hotel and Pub.

Thank you so much for all the suggestions and input. I can see how the ferry could be iffy. Thank you for options to stay. I think I am going to go for understanding all the risks. I have 10 days to play around with so a delay of a couple days would not be terrible. I am very fortunate to not be on a severe time constraint. Appreciate the feedback. Kathleen

I have no specific recommendations for hotels in Largs but suggest Nardinis for meals. In Gourock I recommend The Spinnaker Hotel and Pub.

I'd second Nardini's in Largs. It is a very popular spot, especially the ice cream parlour side for people day tripping to Largs or day tripping over to Millport (Cumbrae).

As for Arran, I'd bear in mind that the days in November are short, I generally work 0800 to 1600. It is dark when I get to my desk both working from home and in the office at 0800 now, and when the clocks go back in just over a week's time it will be dark getting dark when I leave.