Scotland: Little trips - South Ayrshire
Sep 3rd, 2016, 10:17 AM
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Scotland: Little trips - South Ayrshire
These days I spend a lot of time fondly remembering places I’d visited over many years. It is an age thing. I’m closer to 80 than 70 (!) and a bit frustrated at not being able to easily re-visit, mostly because my mobility is restricted. Earlier in the year, I’d been chatting the memories through with my oldest nephew Drew who suggested we do short day trips to my favourite places possibly every few weeks, when and if his work schedule permitted. I’m pleased to say that’s just what we’ve done and I can do what I think are my first-ever trip reports.
If you come along with me, all are by car out of Glasgow. If you wish to do the same and are starting say, in Edinburgh add an hour or so extra driving time.
The first trip was down to South Ayrshire one of my favourite areas of this beautiful country but sometimes not too often visited by tourists.
PLACES: Ayr, Alloway, Dunure, Electric Brae (Maybole), Culzean Castle, Crossraguel Abbey & Barr Village.
It was a crisp April morning when we left Glasgow taking the M77 then the A77 direct to the bonnie town of Ayr. The motorway cuts through the Fenwick Moor, looking as unwelcoming as ever, and past some little villages plus, what seems, very many golf courses! This isn’t a long part of the journey and in less than an hour we were taking in the sea air.
AYR: I still enjoy this town although it has changed hugely since I last visited. What hasn’t changed are the wonderful displays of spring flowers and the friendly people. The air is fantastic. Bracing and fresh. If you visit, I recommend a gentle stroll along The Esplanade. Here we found some wonderful old town buildings, well cared for gardens and spectacular views across to the Isle of Arran, which on the day of our visit looked great. Here too we found one of the longest sandy beaches in Ayrshire. Oddly I did feel the town has a very 1950’s to 1960’s look about it but that’s not a criticism because I enjoyed the kind of old-fashioned feel of the place. If you wish, you can also take the train direct from Glasgow to Ayr (the station is in the town centre). Journey time will be around 50 minutes and the cost, off-peak times (After 9am and before 4.30pm) £10. Robert Burns our national poet described Ayr as being for honest men and bonny lasses. Who am I to disagree?
ALLOWAY : I have a real fondness for Alloway because of the connection with Robert Burns. Although it is only around 2 miles south of Ayr town centre when we arrived outside the Robert Burns Cottage & Museum it was very different. The road was empty, there was nobody on the local streets but the contrast to the town centre was welcome.
Even if you are not a Burn’s aficionado I so recommend a visit to the thatched-roof cottage and museum both looked after now by the National Trust. The little booklet I got there tells me it was built by his father in 1757 and Robert was born there in 1759. They have done a great job in looking after this beautiful old building and contents. It really felt like stepping back in time. Also, a big thanks to them for looking after anyone with a wheelchair. It was a real pleasure being able to move around without having any problems. Entry cost for me was £7 (concessionary) and my nephew £9.
Burns Cottage site: http://www.burnsmuseum.org.uk
When we left, I asked if we could also pass the Auld Kirk in Alloway. This was where the witches danced in the Burns poem Tam O’Shanter. It was always one of my all-time favourite poems, drummed into us at school and never to be forgotten. Finding the little church and graveyard was no problem as it is only minutes from Burns Cottage. Built in the 16th century it is a ruin and now without a roof. Unfortunately, the day we were there some work was going at the entrance and I couldn’t get access although my nephew did walk around it and took some pictures. If anything, visit for the atmosphere and enjoy how pretty and quiet this little church and cemetery are.
‘But pleasures are like poppies spread,
You sieze the flower, its bloom is shed;
Or like the snow falls in the river,
A moment white--then melts for ever;’
Alloway Auld Kirk: https://www.visitscotland.com/info/s...d-kirk-p250781
DUNURE: From Alloway we drove down the coast road (A719) to Dunure, which took around 35 minutes. Off that main road, we turned right just at the village signpost and continued down to the castle that stands on a small promontory at the beach. Although the castle is in ruins, it is interesting and there are small display boards close to it giving you historical information. It was very cold though possibly due to wind coming in off the sea. We both agreed it wasn’t a day to hang around for too long.
ELECTRIC BRAE: Half way along the road from Dunure to Culzean Castle (the A719), around 8 minutes journey time, we visited and laughed at this strange phenomenon. It is sign-posted and please, if you have kids, take them with you for this. It’s an optical illusion and a wonderful one at that. You drive half-way down the hill and stop the car. Release the hand-brake and be amazed as the car starts to move backwards and UP the hill. It does feel very odd and hopefully you’ll enjoy reading about it here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_Brae
CULZEAN CASTLE: Close to the town of Maybole, and only 10 minutes south of the Electric Brae is this huge country-house style castle, its architecture by Robert Adam. It sits on the cliff top and has very extensive and beautiful gardens. Nothing I can write can do it justice. In 1945 it was passed by the Kennedy family to the National Trust who still manage it. One of its apartments was given to and used by Dwight D. Eisenhower in recognition of his work during WW2. I had a good time making my way around its grounds which, if like me and you enjoy gardening, then you will love this. Most of the gardens are suitable for wheelchair users as is the castle. Drew spent an hour inside the castle and is still talking about it! He would not tell me how much it cost but I’ve now checked and it is £15.50 to get into both the castle and the country park.
The castle website is at: http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/Culze...d-Country-Park
(As a small aside, when I was a teenager I worked on a farm located a few miles out of Maybole village and close to Culzean. Those were happy days and were responsible for me finding and regularly returning to the next ancient monument. It is one of my special places, not too often known about or visited by folks. What they are missing!)
Leaving Culzean Castle we turned right onto the A719 and then left at the Morriston junction onto the A77, then left again at the Kirkoswald junction. In a few minutes we reached my ‘special place’, the 13th century Crossraguel Abbey. It’s only about 6 miles from Culzean and the coast.
CROSSRAGUEL: Almost every day when I worked at the farm close to the abbey, I walked past this beautiful place. It’s steeped in history and is one of the most complete ancient abbey developments in Scotland. Its borders are complete, as is its ancient dovecot and most buildings are in ruins but not all. This was a large, hugely important abbey until the reformation in the mid 1500’s when its monastic status was removed. We spent around 2 hours here, longer than anywhere else. It was my nephew’s first ever visit and he was already saying as we walked around that he will bring his wife and kids here too. Historic Scotland manages the abbey ruins and they’ve done a good job. I was a bit frustrated as wheelchair access was slightly restricted and I couldn’t, of course, get inside the dovecot or some of the little medieval houses used by the monks. Tickets were less than £5 each but I cannot remember the exact amount. We were its only visitors.
Its site address is: https://www.historicenvironment.scot...sraguel-abbey/
As a special favour, Drew drove me 15 miles south of Crossraguel to a little village called Barr. I recommend you do it too. It has always been a place I’ve loved and again, it felt like stepping back in time. Travel south from Crossraguel, turn left this time at the Kirkoswald Junction and stay on that road past Dailly village. You will come to a junction at Penkill where you keep left until you reach Barr. Journey time was around 30 minutes.
It had been such a great day and although we did have plans to go further south, we didn’t. There are plenty of other days (and trips reports) to do just that.
From Barr Village back to Glasgow took us close to 1 hour and 45 minutes more or less on the same route as the outward journey.
Next: Travelling to Argyll
Bill
If you come along with me, all are by car out of Glasgow. If you wish to do the same and are starting say, in Edinburgh add an hour or so extra driving time.
The first trip was down to South Ayrshire one of my favourite areas of this beautiful country but sometimes not too often visited by tourists.
PLACES: Ayr, Alloway, Dunure, Electric Brae (Maybole), Culzean Castle, Crossraguel Abbey & Barr Village.
It was a crisp April morning when we left Glasgow taking the M77 then the A77 direct to the bonnie town of Ayr. The motorway cuts through the Fenwick Moor, looking as unwelcoming as ever, and past some little villages plus, what seems, very many golf courses! This isn’t a long part of the journey and in less than an hour we were taking in the sea air.
AYR: I still enjoy this town although it has changed hugely since I last visited. What hasn’t changed are the wonderful displays of spring flowers and the friendly people. The air is fantastic. Bracing and fresh. If you visit, I recommend a gentle stroll along The Esplanade. Here we found some wonderful old town buildings, well cared for gardens and spectacular views across to the Isle of Arran, which on the day of our visit looked great. Here too we found one of the longest sandy beaches in Ayrshire. Oddly I did feel the town has a very 1950’s to 1960’s look about it but that’s not a criticism because I enjoyed the kind of old-fashioned feel of the place. If you wish, you can also take the train direct from Glasgow to Ayr (the station is in the town centre). Journey time will be around 50 minutes and the cost, off-peak times (After 9am and before 4.30pm) £10. Robert Burns our national poet described Ayr as being for honest men and bonny lasses. Who am I to disagree?
ALLOWAY : I have a real fondness for Alloway because of the connection with Robert Burns. Although it is only around 2 miles south of Ayr town centre when we arrived outside the Robert Burns Cottage & Museum it was very different. The road was empty, there was nobody on the local streets but the contrast to the town centre was welcome.
Even if you are not a Burn’s aficionado I so recommend a visit to the thatched-roof cottage and museum both looked after now by the National Trust. The little booklet I got there tells me it was built by his father in 1757 and Robert was born there in 1759. They have done a great job in looking after this beautiful old building and contents. It really felt like stepping back in time. Also, a big thanks to them for looking after anyone with a wheelchair. It was a real pleasure being able to move around without having any problems. Entry cost for me was £7 (concessionary) and my nephew £9.
Burns Cottage site: http://www.burnsmuseum.org.uk
When we left, I asked if we could also pass the Auld Kirk in Alloway. This was where the witches danced in the Burns poem Tam O’Shanter. It was always one of my all-time favourite poems, drummed into us at school and never to be forgotten. Finding the little church and graveyard was no problem as it is only minutes from Burns Cottage. Built in the 16th century it is a ruin and now without a roof. Unfortunately, the day we were there some work was going at the entrance and I couldn’t get access although my nephew did walk around it and took some pictures. If anything, visit for the atmosphere and enjoy how pretty and quiet this little church and cemetery are.
‘But pleasures are like poppies spread,
You sieze the flower, its bloom is shed;
Or like the snow falls in the river,
A moment white--then melts for ever;’
Alloway Auld Kirk: https://www.visitscotland.com/info/s...d-kirk-p250781
DUNURE: From Alloway we drove down the coast road (A719) to Dunure, which took around 35 minutes. Off that main road, we turned right just at the village signpost and continued down to the castle that stands on a small promontory at the beach. Although the castle is in ruins, it is interesting and there are small display boards close to it giving you historical information. It was very cold though possibly due to wind coming in off the sea. We both agreed it wasn’t a day to hang around for too long.
ELECTRIC BRAE: Half way along the road from Dunure to Culzean Castle (the A719), around 8 minutes journey time, we visited and laughed at this strange phenomenon. It is sign-posted and please, if you have kids, take them with you for this. It’s an optical illusion and a wonderful one at that. You drive half-way down the hill and stop the car. Release the hand-brake and be amazed as the car starts to move backwards and UP the hill. It does feel very odd and hopefully you’ll enjoy reading about it here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_Brae
CULZEAN CASTLE: Close to the town of Maybole, and only 10 minutes south of the Electric Brae is this huge country-house style castle, its architecture by Robert Adam. It sits on the cliff top and has very extensive and beautiful gardens. Nothing I can write can do it justice. In 1945 it was passed by the Kennedy family to the National Trust who still manage it. One of its apartments was given to and used by Dwight D. Eisenhower in recognition of his work during WW2. I had a good time making my way around its grounds which, if like me and you enjoy gardening, then you will love this. Most of the gardens are suitable for wheelchair users as is the castle. Drew spent an hour inside the castle and is still talking about it! He would not tell me how much it cost but I’ve now checked and it is £15.50 to get into both the castle and the country park.
The castle website is at: http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/Culze...d-Country-Park
(As a small aside, when I was a teenager I worked on a farm located a few miles out of Maybole village and close to Culzean. Those were happy days and were responsible for me finding and regularly returning to the next ancient monument. It is one of my special places, not too often known about or visited by folks. What they are missing!)
Leaving Culzean Castle we turned right onto the A719 and then left at the Morriston junction onto the A77, then left again at the Kirkoswald junction. In a few minutes we reached my ‘special place’, the 13th century Crossraguel Abbey. It’s only about 6 miles from Culzean and the coast.
CROSSRAGUEL: Almost every day when I worked at the farm close to the abbey, I walked past this beautiful place. It’s steeped in history and is one of the most complete ancient abbey developments in Scotland. Its borders are complete, as is its ancient dovecot and most buildings are in ruins but not all. This was a large, hugely important abbey until the reformation in the mid 1500’s when its monastic status was removed. We spent around 2 hours here, longer than anywhere else. It was my nephew’s first ever visit and he was already saying as we walked around that he will bring his wife and kids here too. Historic Scotland manages the abbey ruins and they’ve done a good job. I was a bit frustrated as wheelchair access was slightly restricted and I couldn’t, of course, get inside the dovecot or some of the little medieval houses used by the monks. Tickets were less than £5 each but I cannot remember the exact amount. We were its only visitors.
Its site address is: https://www.historicenvironment.scot...sraguel-abbey/
As a special favour, Drew drove me 15 miles south of Crossraguel to a little village called Barr. I recommend you do it too. It has always been a place I’ve loved and again, it felt like stepping back in time. Travel south from Crossraguel, turn left this time at the Kirkoswald Junction and stay on that road past Dailly village. You will come to a junction at Penkill where you keep left until you reach Barr. Journey time was around 30 minutes.
It had been such a great day and although we did have plans to go further south, we didn’t. There are plenty of other days (and trips reports) to do just that.
From Barr Village back to Glasgow took us close to 1 hour and 45 minutes more or less on the same route as the outward journey.
Next: Travelling to Argyll
Bill
Sep 3rd, 2016, 01:36 PM
#6
Bill, thanks so much for this great report on a part of Scotland that doesn't get nearly as much publicity (aside from occasional golf tournaments) as it deserves.
Careful crossing that bridge. ;-)
Careful crossing that bridge. ;-)
Sep 3rd, 2016, 02:47 PM
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I know that area very well. My mother had relations who lived in Girvan and I used to spend part of my summer holidays staying with them. I especially like the drive from there down the coast to Ballantrae and on to Stranraer and Portpatrick.
Sep 4th, 2016, 01:24 AM
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This is great and thanks Bill. I enjoy reports about places not on the tourist map and this one works for me because it is written by someone who lives there. Fascinated now about Culzean and the abbey. Time for me to check them out.
Played golf at Turnberry for one day only many years ago returning to Manchester the same evening. After reading this I wish I'd taken more time to explore where you've written about.
Played golf at Turnberry for one day only many years ago returning to Manchester the same evening. After reading this I wish I'd taken more time to explore where you've written about.
Sep 4th, 2016, 04:32 AM
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Thank you everyone. I'm working on the next one.
TheBigMan, again when in my teens I was taken on by the Carty Tileworks in Newton Stewart for a summer and visited all the places you mention.
I remember being taken to an annual fair (or similar) in Ballantrae and also being surprised, the first time I was in Portpatrick, at the huge hotel sitting on the cliff top above it. It looked like an old railway hotel but I've never heard of a rail service there.
Bill
TheBigMan, again when in my teens I was taken on by the Carty Tileworks in Newton Stewart for a summer and visited all the places you mention.
I remember being taken to an annual fair (or similar) in Ballantrae and also being surprised, the first time I was in Portpatrick, at the huge hotel sitting on the cliff top above it. It looked like an old railway hotel but I've never heard of a rail service there.
Bill
Sep 4th, 2016, 09:44 AM
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Bill, I thoroughly enjoyed this report. I have visited this area, including Burns' cottage and Culzean Castle, and love this part of Scotland.
I hope you will write more such "remembrances" of past trips and hope you continue to enjoy your new trips. Provides us fellow "middle agers" with incentive to travel more!
Thanks, it was grand to read this one.
I hope you will write more such "remembrances" of past trips and hope you continue to enjoy your new trips. Provides us fellow "middle agers" with incentive to travel more!
Thanks, it was grand to read this one.
Sep 4th, 2016, 11:58 AM
#11
That's a great idea of your nephew's Bill - I know he's helped you in the garden too, so he's definitely a special sort of chap.
as you are for sharing this with us. Your love for your country shines through and almost makes me want visit Scotland again. Our last trip - some 30 or so years ago was not a resounding success - but who knows, carry on like this and you might just persuade me!
as you are for sharing this with us. Your love for your country shines through and almost makes me want visit Scotland again. Our last trip - some 30 or so years ago was not a resounding success - but who knows, carry on like this and you might just persuade me!
Sep 4th, 2016, 12:32 PM
#12
WONDERFUL!
Thanks for posting and will look forward to your new adventures.
Brought back some great memories -- Been to Culzean several times and I love it -- between the Adam interiors, the gardens and the setting it is just lovely. *For others -- there are cottages/apartments in the grounds one can rent self-catering -- including the Eisenhower suite.
Crossraguel: I remember one visit -- it was an overcast but dry day and there were a couple of cars in the car park but as I walked around I didn't see any other visitors. Then I walked around a corner to one of the more intact bldgs (fuzzy memory but I think it was a kitchen bldg) I heard the most beautiful A capella singing. A three generation family was inside singing hymns -- was absolutely ethereal . . .
Thanks for posting and will look forward to your new adventures.
Brought back some great memories -- Been to Culzean several times and I love it -- between the Adam interiors, the gardens and the setting it is just lovely. *For others -- there are cottages/apartments in the grounds one can rent self-catering -- including the Eisenhower suite.
Crossraguel: I remember one visit -- it was an overcast but dry day and there were a couple of cars in the car park but as I walked around I didn't see any other visitors. Then I walked around a corner to one of the more intact bldgs (fuzzy memory but I think it was a kitchen bldg) I heard the most beautiful A capella singing. A three generation family was inside singing hymns -- was absolutely ethereal . . .
Sep 4th, 2016, 03:58 PM
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Thank you ann. Yes, Drew's a special guy as is his brother. They take it in turns to help me and I'm very lucky. BTW, I got the results of the memory test the doctor arranged (we discussed it in another thread, I think) and they weren't so good. So, writing these reports I feel is the best way to deal with it and before I begin to forget things. The next report (Argyll) is especially important as I re-visit where I was born and, weirdly, the memories of up there are so sharp. Yet, I’m struggling to remember what happened last week! It is creepy.
Janis I am very pleased you are coming along for the ride because I enjoy your writings here. I remember a long time ago, we discussed Crossraguel in a thread, and I remain impressed someone else on Fodors has also visited!
Bill
Janis I am very pleased you are coming along for the ride because I enjoy your writings here. I remember a long time ago, we discussed Crossraguel in a thread, and I remain impressed someone else on Fodors has also visited!
Bill
Sep 5th, 2016, 01:02 AM
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I also know these places well - lived in Alloway for a couple of years in the '70s while at primary school, and have great memories of summers spent on the beaches at Dunure and Croy and long walks through the woods and gardens at Culzean dodging midges.
The Electric Brae has always intrigued me, I remember my Dad trying to explain it and it was also on TV at least once back in the '70s/'80s (BBC Nationwide programme I think). I went back on a nostalgia trip some years ago and wanted to try the release handbrake trick to show my wife, but alas the road was too busy with traffic to stop.
The Electric Brae has always intrigued me, I remember my Dad trying to explain it and it was also on TV at least once back in the '70s/'80s (BBC Nationwide programme I think). I went back on a nostalgia trip some years ago and wanted to try the release handbrake trick to show my wife, but alas the road was too busy with traffic to stop.
Sep 5th, 2016, 01:22 AM
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Gordon, good morning. Yes, the Electric Brae is fascinating. I used to love the look on folks faces when the car started to travel backwards up the hill once the handbrake was off.
One of nature’s unique optical illusions, I think. The countryside on either side of the road makes you think you are driving down the hill when you are actually climbing it.
I've never heard of it happening anywhere else.
Bill
One of nature’s unique optical illusions, I think. The countryside on either side of the road makes you think you are driving down the hill when you are actually climbing it.
I've never heard of it happening anywhere else.
Bill
Sep 5th, 2016, 03:05 PM
#18
The next report (Argyll) is especially important as I re-visit where I was born and, weirdly, the memories of up there are so sharp. Yet, I’m struggling to remember what happened last week! It is creepy.>>
in that Bill you are definitely not alone. This is indeed a lovely report - and if it's therapeutic for you, so much the better.
in that Bill you are definitely not alone. This is indeed a lovely report - and if it's therapeutic for you, so much the better.
