North Ayrshire Tourist Attractions: 15 Top Places to Visit
Planning to visit North Ayrshire? Check out our North Ayrshire Travel Guide video and see top most Tourist Attractions in North Ayrshire.
Top Places to visit in North Ayrshire:
Dalgarven Mill, Portencross Castle, Scottish Maritime Museum, Eglinton Country Park, Caledonian MacBrayne, Cathedral of the Isles, Irvine Beach, Saltcoats Beach, Kilwinning Abbey Tower, Kelburn Castle and Country Centre, Seamill Beach, Newton Beach, The Pencil, Stevenston Beach, Wellwood Burns Centre & Museum
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Ayr Tourist Attractions: 15 Top Places to Visit
Planning to visit Ayr? Check out our Ayr Travel Guide video and see top most Tourist Attractions in Ayr.
Top Places to visit in Ayr:
Culzean Castle and Country Park, Heads of Ayr Farm Park, Rozelle Park, Burns Monument and Gardens, Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, The Lang Scots Mile, Ayr Racecourse, Electric Brae, Bachelors' Club, Carnegie Public Library, The Low Green, Greenan Castle, Scottish Industrial Railway Centre, Belleisle Park, Ayrshire Coastal Path
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Discover Ayrshire
Ayrshire has everything you need for your next break, from vast beaches to historic castles. Watch our video for inspiration about things to see and do in the area.
Discover Ayrshire & Arran
Ayrshire & Arran has everything you need for your next break. Watch our video for inspiration about things to see and do in the area.
Places to see in ( Troon - UK )
Places to see in ( Troon - UK )
Troon is a town in South Ayrshire. It is situated on the west coast of Scotland, about 8 miles north of Ayr and 3 miles northwest of Glasgow Prestwick Airport. Troon is a port with freight services at its yacht marina.
Troon is home of the Royal Troon golf course, one of the hosts to the Open Golf Championship. The course is chosen to host this annual event roughly every seven years. Troon Harbour played a notable part in the development of the town for many years. It was home to the Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, which constructed many vessels for worldwide customers but mainly small passenger and various merchant vessels.
Troon Harbour is now a fishing port, yachting marina, seasonal passenger ferry port and Ro-Ro ferry terminal for timber and containers. The shipbuilding industry at Troon Harbour ended in 2000. The town is served by Troon railway station. Troon (old) railway station was one of the first passenger stations in Scotland as part of the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway. A line had been there previously used by the Duke of Portland for the transport of coal from the collieries in East Ayrshire but was upgraded to run Steam locomotives.
Troon is the birthplace of C. K. Marr, who left a funds upon his death to the people of Troon, which was used to construct Marr College, the town's only secondary school. Troon hosts an annual music Festival held in the autumn known as Live@Troon. The event is run by a charitable trust for the promotion of the town and local musical talent.
Fullarton House was built by William Fullarton of that ilk in 1745 and altered by his son, however it was demolished in 1966 by the council who had been unable to maintain the building after purchasing it in 1928.
Robert II granted the old Crosbie estate to the Fullartons in 1344 and by the 18th century the old castle was partly demolished and converted into an ice house for Fullarton House, with a doocot nearby. In 1969 more of the ice house was demolished to make it safe. The building had been known as Crosby Place and later became Fullarton House, not long before the new building of the same name replaced it
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Places to see in ( Girvan - UK )
Places to see in ( Girvan - UK )
Girvan is a burgh in Carrick, South Ayrshire, Scotland. Girvan is stituated on the east coast of the Firth of Clyde, with a population of about 6,700. It lies 21 miles (34 km) south of Ayr, and 29 miles (47 km) north of Stranraer, the main ferry port from Scotland to Northern Ireland.
Girvan was originally a fishing port. In 1668, it became a municipal burgh incorporated by charter. The opening of the railways, initially with the Maybole and Girvan Railway at the end of the 1850s, encouraged the development of Girvan as a seaside resort with beaches and cliffs. Holidaying here from 1855 to 1941 were Robert and Elizabeth Gray and their children; particularly Alice and Edith Gray. The family, led principally by Elizabeth and Alice, created scientifically organised collections of fossils for several museums including the Natural History Museum.
The town is now served by Girvan railway station. Just north of the town is a William Grant & Sons distillery which opened in 1964. There is a Nestlé factory that manufactures chocolate that is shipped down to York and used in Kit-Kat and Yorkie bars.
The McKechnie Institute was endowed by a local businessman and opened in 1889. The Girvan Folk Music Festival takes place on the first weekend of May each year. Girvan also has a folk music club. The Lowland Gathering takes place on the first Sunday of June each year in the Victory Park in the centre of the town. The annual Festival of Light takes place in October with a six-week lantern project resulting in the river of light lantern procession and shorefront performance. The autumn lantern project is a celebration of the lanternmakers and the people of Carrick.
Culzean Castle is about 8 miles (13 km) north of the town, and the volcanic island of Ailsa Craig is visible about 10 miles (16 km) offshore. Turnberry golf course and hotel are located 5 miles (8 km) north of Girvan. The coastline south of Girvan is famous for its geology, and also for Sawney Bean's Cave, where the legendary murderer and cannibal Sawney Bean supposedly lived until his arrest and execution in Edinburgh.
Most of the streets in the south east of Girvan are named after trees, examples are Maple Drive, Elder Avenue, Pine Quadrant, etc. Some flats are being refurbished due to damp rooms, poor insulation and mouldy windows (Which are still wooden). Girvan has a Roman Catholic church, Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, built around 1863. The Church is in Harbour Lane, situated between Louisa Drive and Henrietta Street, close to the junction with Ailsa Street West.
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Places to see in ( Dumfries - UK )
Places to see in ( Dumfries - UK )
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. Dumfries is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was a civil parish and became the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South. People from Dumfries are known colloquially as Doonhamers.
Like the rest of Dumfries and Galloway, of Scotland's three major geographical areas Dumfries lies in the Southern Uplands. The river Nith runs through Dumfries toward the Solway Firth in a southwards direction splitting the town into East and West.
Dumfries has a long history as a county town, and as the market town of a surrounding rural hinterland. Dumfries is a relatively prosperous community but the town centre has been exposed to the centrifugal forces that have seen retail, business, educational, residential and other uses gravitate towards the town's urban fringe.
Located on top of a small hill, Dumfries Museum is centred on the 18th century windmill which stands above the town. Included are fossil footprints left by prehistoric reptiles. Based in the control tower near Tinwald Downs, the aviation museum has an extensive indoor display of memorabilia which strives to preserve aviation heritage, much of which has come via various recovery activities.
The Theatre Royal, Dumfries was built in 1792 and is the oldest working theatre in Scotland. There are a number of festivals which take place throughout the year, mostly based on traditional values. Guid Nychburris (Middle Scots, meaning Good Neighbours) is the main festival of the year, a ceremony which is largely based on the theme of a positive community spirit.
Dumfries is linked to the Northbound A74(M) motorway at Beattock via the A701 road. The A75 road eastbound links Dumfries to the southbound A74(M), leading to the M6 motorway and Carlisle. The A75 road west links Dumfries with the ferry port of Stranraer. The A76 road connects to Kilmarnock in Ayrshire. Dumfries railway station lies on the Glasgow South Western Line. It was awarded Best Station Awards by British Rail in 1986 and 1987. The train service is now operated by private company Abellio ScotRail which provides services to Glasgow and Carlisle, and less frequent services direct to Newcastle. The nearest station to Dumfries on the West Coast Mainline is 14 miles (23 km) east along the A709 road at Lockerbie, and the nearest West Coast Mainline station linking directly to Dumfries by rail is Carlisle.
As the largest settlement in Southern Scotland, Dumfries is recognised as a centre for visiting surrounding points of interest. The following are all within easy reach:
John Paul Jones Cottage Museum – The traditional Scottish cottage in which John Paul Jones was born in 1747.
Solway Coast
Sweetheart Abbey in the village of New Abbey
New Abbey Corn Mill Museum
Criffel – a hill on the Solway Coast popular with hill walkers for its magnificent views of the Southern Scottish coastline and across the Solway Firth to the Lake District of Cumbria
Threave Castle in Castle Douglas, home to the Douglas Clan of James Douglas who fought with Robert the Bruce
Moniaive conservation village
Moffat and the views nearby of The Devil's Beef Tub, The Grey Mare's Tail waterfall and the A708 from Moffat past the Grey Mare's Tail to St Mary's Loch.
Mabie Forest - popular destinations for outdoor recreation such as mountain bike and walking.
Ae village and forest
Lochmaben with its lochs popular with boaters and also its history with Robert the Bruce
Wanlockhead – Britain's highest village registered at 1,531 feet (467 m) above sea level and the Lead Mining Museum
Caerlaverock Castle
Drumlanrig Castle
Kagyu Samyé Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre was the first Tibetan Buddhist Centre to have been established in the West.
Bridge house museum at the foot of the old bridge within Dumfries
Burns' house & mausoleum in St Micheals graveyard
the Robert Burns centre on the mill sands dumfries
At Twynholm is the David Coulthard Museum.
Gretna Green and the Old Blacksmith's Shop famous for runaway marriages.
Tharpaland – International Buddhist Retreat Centre under the auspices of the New Kadampa Tradition. Kelsang Gyatso completed a three-year retreat at Tharpaland.
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Places to see in ( Irvine - UK )
Places to see in ( Irvine - UK )
Irvine is an ancient settlement, in medieval times a royal burgh, and now a new town on the coast of the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland. Irvine was the site of Scotland's 12th century Military Capital and former headquarters of the Lord High Constable of Scotland, Hugh de Morville.
Irvine was once a haunt of Robert Burns, after whom two streets in the town are named: Burns Street and Burns Crescent. He is known to have worked in a flax mill on the Glasgow Vennel. Despite being classed as a new town, Irvine has had a long history stretching back many centuries and was classed as a Royal Burgh. There are also conflicting rumours that Mary, Queen of Scots stayed briefly at Seagate Castle. To this day there is still a yearly festival, called Marymass, held in the town.
Irvine is the birthplace of the present First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party, Nicola Sturgeon as well as the former First Minister of Scotland, Jack McConnell. The current Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop was also born in Irvine. Its twin town is Saint-Amand-les-Eaux in northern France just outside Lille.
Irvine is situated in low lying Ayrshire overlooking Irvine Bay on the Firth of Clyde. It is a coastal town and lies approximately 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Glasgow. Most of the land in and around Irvine is very flat. Two rivers flow through the area, one being the River Irvine and the other being the Annick Water. The Annick Water is very popular for fishing. The area experiences relatively cool, wet summers and cold, wet winters, although snow in the area is not uncommon.
Irvine is well served with numerous transport links. A railway station, originally built by the Glasgow and South Western Railway Company, is situated at the west end of the town which is on the main line between Stranraer and Glasgow. Irvine is also well served by several arterial roads, namely the A78 (Greenock to Prestwick), A71 (Irvine to Kilmarnock and beyond to Edinburgh), A737 (through the Garnock Valley to Glasgow via the M8) and the A736 to Glasgow
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Places to see in ( Arbroath - UK )
Places to see in ( Arbroath - UK )
Arbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland. Arbroath lies on the North Sea coast, around 16 miles ENE of Dundee and 45 miles SSW of Aberdeen.
While there is evidence for settlement of the area now occupied by the town that dates back to the Iron Age, Arbroath's history as a town begins in the High Middle Ages with the founding of Arbroath Abbey in 1178. Arbroath grew considerably during the Industrial Revolution owing to the expansion of firstly the flax and secondly the jute industries and the engineering sector. A new harbour was built in 1839 and by the 20th century, Arbroath had become one of the larger fishing ports in Scotland.
The town is notable as the home of the Declaration of Arbroath, as well as the Arbroath smokie. The town's football team, Arbroath Football Club, hold the world record for the highest number of goals scored in a professional football match. They won 36–0 against Aberdeen Bon Accord in the Scottish Cup in 1885.
Arbroath is located on the North Sea coast in eastern Scotland 17 miles (27 km) northeast of Dundee, within the Angus region. Geologically, Arbroath sits predominantly on Old Red Sandstone. Lower-lying parts of the town were below sea level during and immediately after the last ice age.
Arbroath is located 98 miles (158 km) northeast of Glasgow, 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Aberdeen and 77 miles (124 km) from Edinburgh. The neighbouring villages of St Vigeans, Carmyllie, Friockheim, Colliston and Inverkeilor are considered part of Arbroath for the purposes of council representation, and together with Carnoustie, share the 01241 telephone area code with Arbroath.
Tourism plays some part in the Arbroath economy, with Arbroath Abbey attracting over 14,000 visitors each year. Attractions during the summer months include the Seafront Spectacular, which includes an airshow, and the Seafest which is themed around Arbroath's maritime heritage. There is also a re-enactment of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath
Arbroath is home to Kerr's Miniature Railway, the oldest miniature railway in Scotland, which has been operating since 1935 and which at its height, in 1955, saw 60,000 visitors. The town also features a multimillion-pound Harbour Visitor Centre, located close to the Town Quay.
The A92 road connects Arbroath to Dundee and Fife to the south west, and Stonehaven in the north east. Arbroath has a modest public bus transport system, with the Arbroath Bus Station serving as the town's main terminus.
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Places to see in ( Port Glasgow - UK )
Places to see in ( Port Glasgow - UK )
Port Glasgow is the second largest town in the Inverclyde council area of Scotland. The population according to the 1991 census for Port Glasgow was 19,426 persons and in the 2001 census was 16,617 persons. The most recent census in 2011 states that the population has declined to 15,414. It is located immediately to the east of Greenock and was previously a burgh in the former county of Renfrew.
The town was originally named Newark but due to ships not being able to make it all the way up the shallow river Clyde it was formed as a port for nearby Glasgow in 1668 and became Port Glasgow in 1775. Port Glasgow was home to dry docks and shipbuilding beginning in 1762.
The town grew from the central area of the present town and thus many of the town's historic buildings are found here. Port Glasgow expanded up the steep hills inland to open fields where areas such as Park Farm, Boglestone, Slaemuir and Devol were founded. This area has subsequently become known as upper Port Glasgow and most of the town's population occupies these areas.
The town is served by Port Glasgow railway station (main station) in the town centre and Woodhall railway station in the east end of the town. Both stations are on the electrified Inverclyde Line which has frequent services to the termini at Glasgow Central, Gourock and Wemyss Bay. All trains stop at Port Glasgow, Woodhall has a less frequent service.
From 1869 to 1959 the town was also served by rail at Port Glasgow Upper railway station on the Greenock and Ayrshire Railway. This station was later demolished. The town is connected to nearby Glasgow by the A8 dual carriageway and the M8 motorway. Glasgow Airport located 21 km (13 mi) to the east is the closest airport to Port Glasgow.
The origins of Port Glasgow go back to the construction by Sir George Maxwell between 1450 and 1477 of the New Werke of Finlastoun, which became Newark Castle. At a good anchorage near the castle, a small fishing hamlet known as Newark formed, like other scattered hamlets along the shores of the River Clyde.
Newark Castle stands very close to the shore of the Clyde, and dates to around 1484. It was home to the Maxwell Family, but they no longer lived in the castle after 1694. By 1800 the castle was surrounded by shipyards, but today only Ferguson's shipyard remains, standing immediately to the west of the castle. A park and waterfront walkway have been constructed to the east, on the site of Lamont's shipyard and Smith & Houston's shipbreaking yard.
About a mile upstream from the castle and its surrounding park, several acres of the Clyde foreshore at Parklea are owned by the National Trust for Scotland. For many years the land has been leased to the local council as playing fields. When the NTS acquired the land it was regarded as protecting the foreshore from the widespread acquisition by shipyards. However, this did not prevent the construction of extensive timber ponds along this stretch of the river.
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