Discover the UK & Ireland Coast
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.
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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:
- 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
- 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.
- Turnberry beach is a sandy beach which runs north along the coast from the village of Turnberry and alongside Turnberry golf course and hotel to the Turnberry Point lighthouse. To access the beach, its southern end can be reached from the car park in the village of Turnberry, whilst the northern end there is a track across the golf course to the lighthouse and beach from a roadside parking area off the A719. Facilities at the beach include parking, toilets and post office at the southern Turnberry village end.
- 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.
- Newtown beach at Millport on Cumbrae Island is a beach of sand in a sheltered bay harbour and old pier.
- 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.
- Dunure beach is a shingle beach on a rocky shoreline, located in the village of Dunure near Maybole on the coast of the Firth of Clyde. Although Dunure beach is mainly shingle, Dunure also has a lovely small harbour and Dunure Castle and park. Facilities include toilets, picnic site, harbour, pub, shop and post office in Dunure.
- The Cathedral of the Isles is a Scottish Episcopal Church in Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae, North Ayrshire. Built in the mid 19th century, the cathedral was designed by William Butterfield and opened in 1851. It is the tallest building on Great Cumbrae and is surrounded by formal gardens and woodland. It is also known as the smallest cathedral in the British Isles.
- The Salt Cot is a Wetherspoon pub in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire. Our pub offers a range of real ales, craft beers and freshly ground Lavazza coffee. Breakfast is served until noon, with our full food menu available until 11 pm.
- Girvan beach is a mile long wide sandy beach backed by large grass areas, with the beach stretching away from the harbour pier and it is just a short stroll into the town. The is one of the most popular beaches in Ayrshire and has the facilities you would expect in and around Girvan itself. There are options to park at the northern pier end or the southern end, although the south has a cafe and toilets more facilities exist at the northern end and this is the main used stretch.
- 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.
- Blackwaterfoot is small village with a harbour overlooking Drumadoon Bay. The beach is a large flat sandy beach and is popular for horse riding.
