Ayrshire is in the South West of Scotland and has many miles of scenic coastline steeped in history and home to some famous Open Championship golf courses!
This is the Clyde Coast and it offers travellers superb food, great accommodation and a vast array of outdoor activities topped with ancient castles, busy market towns and rugged countryside. It's ancient history dates back to the Bronze Age.
Tour Dumfries House for an idea of what a stately home in Scotland looks like!
Visitors are attracted by the majestic mountains, the Firth of Clyde and the historic stones. In the Firth of Clyde lies the Isle of Arran better known by locals as 'Mini Scotland' because of its lochs, mountains, hills and stunning coast. Here you'll find lots of places to visit like the local distillery, museums, craft and food markets and castles. Sports are popular here with paragliding or orienteering on offer and Celtic myths and legends to enjoy back in the warmth of your hotel or bed and breakfast.
Why not check beaches nearby as we have 25 beaches in Ayrshire, or have a look at our list of Ayrshire dog friendly beaches, or even our United Kingdom Blue Flag beach list.
Ayrshire Coast Search Bar
Where would you like to go? Use our search bar to search across all our local listings, ideal for finding that nearest spot to visit:
Want some ideas on where to visit?
Every favourite location must be visited for the first time. Want some ideas, why not check out the below small selection of coastal locations, including beaches, activities, things to see and do, places to stay and eat:
- Troon’s North Sands beach is a sandy beach with a large grass area behind.Popular kitesurfing and windsurfing beach along with Troon’s South beach.Facilities include car parking, shops, pub, cafe and toilets.
- Whiting Bay is a beach with a mixture of sand and pebbles, with some good rock pools to explore. Parking available but all facilities in Lamlash village.
- Barassie beach is a sandy beach backed by grass areas to the north of Troon Harbour and has views of the Firth of Clyde and the Isle of Arran. The beach is an extension to Troon North Sands. Barassie beach is a popular for watersports including kitesurfing, windsurfing and sailing. Facilities include parking, toilets and grassy areas.
- Culzean beach is a small sandy beach where access is on foot with parking, toilets and shop within the Culzean country park.
- Blackwaterfoot is small village with a harbour overlooking Drumadoon Bay. The beach is a large flat sandy beach and is popular for horse riding.
- Prestwick beach is a long sandy beach with views over to Isle of Arran. The beach extends out of Prestwick and is then backed by Prestwick Golf Club, birthplace of the Open Championship. If walking northwards along the beach it is possible to paddle across the Pow burn at low-tide to Troon South Sands.
- Culzean Castle is one of Scotland’s best-known castles and is situated on a clifftop overlooking the South Ayrshire coast near the town of Maybole. The family seat of the Kennedy family since the mid 18th century, who can trace their ancestry back to Robert the Bruce, Culzean sits in a spectacular 600-acre estate and is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland. Since 1987 Culzean Castle has also been a fixture as an illustration on the back of all five pound notes issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland! With something on offer for everyone, the castle and grounds are open to the public from Easter to October. During the winter, the gift shops and restaurant are open at weekends, details at www.culzeanexperience.org
- At the Burns Cottage Museum, you will be able to see where Burns and his family lived along with their farm animals.
- Croy beach also known as Maybole shore,is a long sandy beach with plenty of room for everybody. Popular with windsurfers and land yachters. Car parking available by the beach.
- Dean Castle (also known as is Kilmarnock Castle) is a 14th-century castle situated in the Dean Castle Country Park in Kilmarnock with scenic paths and trails.
- Troon’s South Sands beach is a long and wide sandy beach with a promenade and some grass areas behind. Popular kitesurfing and windsurfing beach along with Troon’s North beach. Facilities include car parking, shops, pub, cafe, toilets, and promenade. As you head south on the beach the houses end and you are backed by the Royal Troon Golf Club. Founded in 1878 with just 5 holes, and extended to become an 18 hole course in 1886, and it first held the Open Championship in 1923.
- Ayr South beach is a large sandy beach between the River Doon to the south and the River Ayr. Facilities include Parking, toilets and food outlets.
