Ayrshire is perhaps most famous worldwide as the birthplace of Robert Burns, Scotland's National Bard. Burns was born in Alloway on the South side of Ayr on the 25th January 1759. He spent much of his time in Ayrshire and many of the sites which featured in his life and in his poetry are preserved for the nation.
Burns Cottage in Alloway was the birthplace of the poet and today you can visit this site and learn of his early life. The museum has artifacts from Burns' life and you can see some of his original manuscripts. The nearby Monument, Heritage Centre and Kirkyard provide a further dimension to the poet and his life.
The history and mystery of Ayrshire centres round many of its castles and historic buildings. From Stone Age tombs and Iron Age Hill Forts to ancient Abbeys (Kirkoswald) and Castles on cliffs (Dunure)
, you can walk just a few miles and travel back centuries. One of the most splendid examples of the architecture of Robert Adam can be seen at Culzean (pronounced 'Cull-ane'). Built in the 18th Century the castle has undergone recent major refurbishment by the National Trust for Scotland. This castle has special significance for my family because of our direct connections with the staff over the centuries, most notably my Great Grandmother (Shore Granny), so known because she lived by the Shore in the Grounds of the castle opposite the old stable block now the visitor centre with my Great Uncle Willy (The Head Gardener for many years).
For golfers the world over Ayrshire is the home of Turnberry, Royal Troon and in October 1860, the first British Open championship was held at Old Prestwick played between such Tom Morris Sr. and Willie Park. The 1st is one of the toughest starts in Scotland. It's 18 holes par 71.
Ayrshire is a traditional fishing area with fishing ports along the coats. Nowadays the commercial fishing boats are limited to harbours such as Girvan and Troon. You can still go sea fishing with a number of private operators. In fact keep your eyes open as in summer you will see my brother and father out in their boat the Iona in the bay around Ayr. Inland there fine river and loch fishing sites. You can obtain a ticket for the day, get a few lessons in fly fishing, or tackle some rainbow and brown trout on a well-stocked private loch.
Canada may be the home of hockey but Prestwick is the home of the champion ice hockey team the Scottish Eagles. In 1998 they became the first ever British Team to win four trophies in one season. The Centrum in Prestwick is the venue for many of the big national hockey events and teams from as far afield as Bracknell and Sheffield battle it out on the oval ice at Prestwick.
Even if you are not a 'twitcher' birdwatching is a must in Ayrshire. We have a diversity of bird life due to a combination of shore, estuary, river, forest, moorland and loch features. In addition to indigenous species there are many migrants who visit en-route. Take a walk along the River Ayr at Auchincruive for just a sample of the 200 or more types of bird that can be seen in Ayrshire.
Ayrshire is a popular equestrian area which centres around the Ayr Races. Events such as the Ayr Gold Cup in September and the Scottish Grand National brings thousands of race enthusiasts and top quality horses from across the country.
Linx
Macstories a sister site.
Elaine Robertson's art & design site.
Site for Local Amateur Theatre Society
Elaine Robertson
