Focus on Scotland - Ayrshire Coast

History, sculpture, beaches, castles walking and cycling… the Ayrshire coast has so many places that you can keep going back to – plus the enchanting island of Arran that you can explore again and again.

Ayrshire and Arran

Ayrshire may not be as famous as Loch Lomond or the Highlands but it’s a brilliant place to choose for a holiday home or park home.

This county is on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. Growing up in Glasgow, my early family holidays were at seaside towns in Ayrshire. Today, Troon, Irvine and particularly Largs are definitely to be recommended, as I discovered when I took my family to explore places you may like to consider for your own place in this region.

We began our tour with a visit to Robert Burns’s birthplace in Alloway. We wandered around the charming gardens before making our way over the road to Poet’s Path which leads to the museum. The sculptures along the way are great fun. We particularly liked one of a giant granite haggis!

Next on my list of places to recommend is the nearby ‘Auld Brig’, otherwise known as Brig o’ Doon, the original 15th century cobblestone bridge over the River Doon, which Tam O’ Shanter crossed on horseback, fleeing from the witches and warlocks who were unable to follow him across water.

Culzean Castle and Country Park is another interesting place. With gardens, follies, beaches, woods, trails and adventure playgrounds, there is plenty to explore. The weather prevented us from doing much exploring outdoors but this proved that, even on dismal days, Culzean (pronounced cull-ane) is worthy of many a visit.

Dumfries House is a little known gem of a place. The house itself is impressive but the highlight for my family was the Engineering Playground. Discovering water flow, forces, pressure, dams and how it affects movement, they spent over an hour in this area alone. There’s also a collection of Chippendale furniture.

We spent our day exploring some of the 2000 acres of this stunning estate which includes Avenue Bridge, a three-arch bridge adorned with obelisks, an icehouse, a coach building, the ruins of Terringzean Castle, lodges, and a temple.

Troon beach

The beaches in Ayrshire are dog-friendly. Our pooch Olga particularly liked Troon beach which runs alongside a charming little town and, being famous for golf, there is no shortage of top quality courses.

Ayr beach

Ayr’s large beach runs alongside a busy, bustling town with the usual high street chain shops plus bars, restaurants and take-aways.

Isle of Arran

The Isle of Arran was a highly anticipated part of our trip and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

We travelled on the ferry to Brodick as foot passengers as our last-minute plan meant that there was no space for the car. The bus service is great here, so being without a car isn’t a problem. One of the leaders from Lochranza Activity centre met us from a bus stop and led us along a  pretty walk, across stepping stones, past a stunning beach and through a wooded area until we reached the cliff side.

If you are looking for brilliant family days out, this centre is where to make for. Rope ladder challenges, gorge walking, kayaking and abseiling are on offer. And the walk to the cliff top gives you a stunning view.

Our time on Arran convinced me to add it to my ‘I could live here’ list. Often described as all of Scotland in miniature, it’s easy to see why. Low population, stunning beaches populated only by us on a warm June day, lochs, glens, forests mountains, spectacular scenery, wildlife that includes birds of prey, deer and red squirrels, forests, mountains and glens – this is a really special place.

The Kelpies

Matthew, my middle son, adores art and sculptures. The Kelpies is one that he had been desperate to visit for some time so we made sure we included it in our plans. At 98ft tall, the dramatic structure of the heads of two horses is an awesome site and, when illuminated, will take your breath away.

The Kelpies highlights the importance of the horse in industry and economy, pulling wagons and ploughs, barges and coal ships that shaped the layout of the area.

Danure harbour

Danure harbour and village is notable for its ruined cliff-top medieval castle. About five miles outside Ayr, it’s great for dog walking and the kids enjoyed clambering over the rocks and jumping onto the soft sand below before wandering around the harbour.

Electric Brae

Unsuspecting travellers following the A719 coastal road will see the sign: ‘Electric Brae: Slow vehicles ahead’. Mysteriously, there is nothing to see until you get around the bend and a queue of stationary cars sits in the middle of the road where the laws of physics seemingly don’t apply and cars appear to roll upwards. Slowing down and stopping is not only permitted but encouraged. Curiously, there is no electricity involved; just an optical illusion created by the lay of the land. The configuration of the land on either side of the road makes it look as if the slope is going the other way, so that when we took our brakes off, we appeared to move slowly uphill. If the magic of the brae isn’t enough, this is a beautiful drive along the west coast looking out over the sea to Arran and beyond.

Largs

This is a great place for cycling and walking. Largs is famed for a battle in 1263 when the Vikings, attempting to land from a fleet of longboats, were repulsed by the army of Alexander III. This Viking heritage is celebrated at Vikingar!, a Viking-themed attraction.

Largs is also home to the famous Nardini’s ice cream shop; an art deco ice cream parlour as well as exclusive restaurant. A quick peek at the menu revealed this to be a great spot for fine dining in exquisite surroundings.

Isle of Cumbrae

Close to Largs lies the Isle of Cumbrae, just a mile offshore, to which a regular ferry service and the famous Waverley Paddle Steamer make regular trips during the summer. To the south of the town, a stroll along the pebbly shoreline towards the harbour provides lovely coastal views.

Kelburn Castle and Country Park

A couple of miles from Largs lies Kelburn Castle and  Country Park. The outer walls of this 13th century castle have been painted in bright and bold eye-catching designs by Brazilian artists. You can wander through the woodland glen, a tranquil place of waterfalls and deep gorges, which make this walk unforgettable.

Glasgow

On our final day, we came to Glasgow to visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery. Matthew had read about an exhibition of Frank Quitely, a comic artist, and was keen to look at his work. This is a spectacular art gallery and even if the visiting exhibition doesn’t appeal, it’s worth visiting.

Whitelee Windfarm

Whitelee Windfarm, the UK’s largest onshore wind farm, is on Eaglesham Moor just 20 minutes from central Glasgow. It’s a beautiful walk amongst 215 gigantic silent turbines, over hills and alongside small lochs. There are different trails and routes to explore over 130 kilometres.