Sights in Ayrshire
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Holy Island Centre for World Peace & Health
Just off the coast is Holy Island, owned by the Samye Ling Tibetan Centre and used as a retreat, but day visits are allowed. The ferry makes eight trips a day (£10, 15 minutes) from Lamlash and runs between May and September. No dogs, alcohol or fires are allowed on the island. There’s a good walk to the top of the hill (314m), taking two or three hours return. It is possible to stay on the island in accommodation belonging to the grandiose-named Holy Island Centre for World Peace & Health. Although designed more for groups doing yoga and meditation courses at the centre, individuals are welcome. There’s also a dining room and library for guests.
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Dean Castle
In Kilmarnock, where Johnnie Walker whisky has been blended since 1820, is Dean Castle, a 15-minute walk from the bus and train stations. The castle, restored in the first half of the 20th century, has a virtually windowless keep (dating from 1350) and an adjacent palace (1468), with a superb collection of medieval arms, armour, tapestries and musical instruments. The grounds, an 81-hectare park, are a good place for a stroll or a picnic, or you can eat at the visitor centre’s tearoom, where snacks and light meals cost around £5. Free guided tours are available and there are regular activities for kids. From Ayr there are frequent buses throughout the day.
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Culzean
The Scottish National Trust’s flagship property, magnificent Culzean is one of the most impressive of Scotland’s great stately homes. The entrance to Culzean (kull-ane) is a converted viaduct, and on approach the castle appears like a mirage, floating into view. Designed by Robert Adam, who was encouraged to exercise his romantic genius in its design, this 18th-century mansion is perched dramatically on the edge of the cliffs. Robert Adam was the most influential architect of his time, renowned for his meticulous attention to detail and the elegant classical embellishments with which he decorated his ceilings and fireplaces.
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Dundonald Castle
Dundonald Castle commands impressive views and, in its main hall, has one of the finest barrel-vaulted ceilings preserved in Scotland. It was the first home of the Stuart kings, built by Robert II in 1371, and reckoned to be the third most important castle in Scotland in its time, after Edinburgh and Stirling. The visitor centre below the castle has good information on prior settlements, and scale models of the castle and its predecessors. Buses running between Troon and Kilmarnock stop in Dundonald village.
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Brodick Castle & Park
The first impression of this estate 2.5 miles north of Brodick is that of an animal morgue – you enter via the hunting gallery, which is wallpapered with prized deer heads. On your way to the formal dining room (with its peculiar table furnishings), note the intricacy of the fireplace in the library. The castle has more of a lived-in feel than some NTS properties. Only a small portion is open to visitors. The extensive grounds, now a country park with various trails among the rhododendrons, justify the steep entry fee.
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Auld Kirk
The atmospheric cemetery here overlooks the river and is good for a stroll, offering an escape from the bustle of High St. Several of his poems are set here in Ayr; in Twa Brigs, Ayr’s old and new bridges argue with one another. The Auld Brig (Old Bridge) was built in 1491 and spans the river just north of the church. In Burns’ poem Tam o’Shanter, Tam spends a boozy evening in the pub that now bears his name, at 230 High St.
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Crossraguel Abbey
Just 2 miles east of Kirkoswald, by the A77, Crossraguel Abbey is a substantial ruin dating back to the 13th century that’s good fun to explore. The renovated 16th-century gatehouse is the best part – you’ll find decorative stonework and superb views from the top. Inside, if you have the place to yourself, you’ll hear only the whistling wind – an apt reflection of the abbey’s long-deceased monastic tradition. Don’t miss the echo in the chilly sacristy.
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Seal Watching
Most visitors arrive in Brodick, the heartbeat of the Isle of Arran, and congregate along the coastal road to admire the town's long curving bay. As you follow the coast along Brodick Bay, look out for seals , often seen on the rocks around Merkland Point. Two types live in these waters, the Atlantic grey seal and the common seal. They're actually quite easy to tell apart - the common seal has a face like a dog; the Atlantic grey seal has a Roman nose.
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Robert Burns Birthplace Museum
This brand new museum displays a solid collection of Burnsiana, including manuscripts and possessions of the poet like the pistols he packed in order to carry out his daily work – as a taxman. A Burns jukebox allows you to select readings of your favourite Burns verses, and there are other entertaining audio and visual performances.
The admission ticket (valid for three days) also covers the atmospheric Burns Cottage, by the main road from Ayr, and connected by a sculpture-lined walkway from the Birthplace Museum. Born in the little box bed in this cramped thatched dwelling, the poet spent the first seven years of his life here. It's an attractive display which gives you…
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Corrie
Most visitors arrive in Brodick, the heartbeat of the Isle of Arran, and congregate along the coastal road to admire the town's long curving bay. The coast road continues north to the small, pretty village of Corrie , where there's a shop and hotel, and one of the tracks up Goatfell (the island's tallest peak) starts here. Corrie Village Shop sells wonderful sculptures by local artist Marvin Elliot.
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Lochranza Castle
The village of Lochranza is in a stunning location in a small bay at the north of the island. On a promontory stand the ruins of the 13th-century Lochranza Castle, said to be the inspiration for the castle in The Black Island, Hergé’s Tintin adventure. It’s basically a draughty shell inside, with interpretative signs to help you decipher the layout.
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Machrie Moor Stone Circle
On the western side of the Isle of Arran, reached by String Rd across the centre (or the coast road), is the Machrie Moor Stone Circle , upright sandstone slabs erected around 6000 years ago. It's an eerie place, and these are the most impressive of the six stone circles on the island. There's another group at nearby Auchagallon, surrounding a Bronze Age burial cairn.
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King's Cave
Blackwaterfoot is the largest village on the west coast. You can walk to King's Cave from here, via Drumadoon Farm - Arran is one of several islands that lay claim to a cave where Robert the Bruce had his famous arachnid encounter. This walk could be combined with a visit to the Machrie stones.
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Isle of Arran Brewery
At the Cladach centre there's an excellent self-guided brewery tour for £2.50, which includes tastings in the shop. Arran beers are pure quality. Warning: Arran Dark is highly addictive. There's a good outdoors shop here too, if you're heading up Goatfell.
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St John’s Tower
St John’s Tower is the only remnant of a church where a parliament was held in 1315, the year after the celebrated victory at Bannockburn. John Knox’s son-in-law was the minister here, and Mary, Queen of Scots, stayed overnight in 1563.
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Auld Brig
Most things to see in Ayr are Burns-related. Several of his poems are set here in Ayr; in Twa Brigs, Ayr's old and new bridges argue with one another. The Auld Brig was built in 1491 and spans the river just north of the church.
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Cathedral of the Isles
The town boasts Britain’s smallest cathedral, the lovely Cathedral of the Isles, which was completed in 1851. Inside it’s quite ornate with a lattice woodwork ceiling and fragments of early Christian carved stones.
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Beachfront
The beachfront is good for a walk in sunny weather, especially at low tide when a huge sandy beach is revealed. The silhouettes of Arrans peaks in the bay form an impressive backdrop.
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Robertson Museum & Aquarium
Just east of town is the interesting Robertson Museum & Aquarium.
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