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Out and AboutAyrshire, on the south west coast of Scotland is shaped like a 1/2 moon and rises from the southern part of the Firth of Clyde to a semicircle of hills inland. The capital town - Ayr is situated at the mouth of the River Ayr. Ayr is a popular holiday resort as well as being a shopping/market centre. It is a very old town: there was a settlement here long before a Scottish King named William the Lion gave it a charter and protected it with a castle in 1200. Nothing is left of the castle, but there are still parts to be seen, of one which Oliver Cromwell built - and there is also Wallace Tower in the High Street. Just north of Ayr is Glasgow Prestwick Airport, which is used by, among others - transatlantic airliners, especially when other airports are fog bound. In the centre of the town is Ayr's Railway Station with access to various destinations including Glasgow and Stranraer. Ayr's harbour is picturesque, but more of a freight terminal than a fishing port now. Troon - also just north of Ayr is home to the Seacat which travels daily to Ireland. Ayr boasts numerous parks and walks, small animal corners and a farm park. There are tennis courts/clubs, many leisure clubs, Ayr Rugby Club, Ayr United Football Club and Ayr Cricket Club. Ayr Ice Rink also is open for skating but also curling. Golf is a big attraction to the Ayrshire coast - with 8 municipal courses in and around Ayr itself and championship courses at Belleisle (Ayr), Troon and Turnberry. The River Doon - famous for its excellent salmon fishing - is to the south of Ayr. There is also a fishery where rods can be hired at Dalrymple 7 miles from Ayr. Ayr Races take place every month with 2 feature meetings - the Scottish Grand National held in April, and the Gold Cup held in September. In the same area is Ayr's Greyhound Track. Ayr has many restaurants, bars, night-clubs and ten-pin bowling. There are theatres, cinemas and the Citadel Leisure centre with swimming pools, flumes, gymnasiums and conference facilities. Although only 40 minutes by car to the city of Glasgow, Ayr is situated amongst a wealth of green pasture and farm land - the brown and white Ayrshire Cow and black faced sheep being famous in the area. Part of Southeast Ayrshire is in the Glen Troon National Forest Park where there are buzzards, merlins and other wild life. The coast of Ayrshire has a chain of holiday places along it. From these one can look across to the mountains of the Isle of Arran, with the peninsula of Kintyre beyond, while to the Southwest can be seen glimpses of Northern Ireland. Ferry's from Ardrossan and Largs and the few steamer trips from Ayr make it possible to visit some of these places and to explore some lovely sea lochs at the head of the Firth of Clyde. Ayrshire has many castles and has seen fierce battles. At Largs, in the north, the Norwegians under King Haakan were beaten back by Alexander 111 in 1263. Robert Bruce is said to have been born in Turnberry Castle, and near it is the hill where they lit the beacon to call him back from Arran, as Sir Walter Scott tells in his poem 'The Lord of the Isles'. Near Turnberry is the castle of Culzean and its beautiful gardens, walks, and Swan Pond. The castle still contains a flat given to General Eisenhower for his services as supreme commander in Western Europe in World War II. This area, 9 miles due south of Ayr is well worth a visit. Robert Burns (poet) - Ayrshire's most famous man was born in 1759 at Alloway, in a low thatched cottage which is now kept as a showplace and museum (one mile from the The Old Racecourse Hotel!). His boyhood homes of Mount Cuphart and Lochlea are not far away, nor is Mossgiel Farm where, as he ploughed a field one day, he turned up the nest of a mouse which moved him to write one of his most famous poems 'Tae a Mouse' - 'Wee sleekit, cow'rin tim'rous beastie". |
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