Pictures of Ayr

About Ayr

Ayr is renowned for its connections with Robert Burns, who was born in a thatched cottage at Alloway, two miles south of the town. The cottage is preserved as a museum, and the worldwide fame of Burns makes it a Mecca for tourists from all corners of the globe.

The town itself is an excellent resort, with attractive sandy beaches and a pleasant harbour. It is the largest of the Clyde holiday resorts, with far reaching views towards the Isle of Arran and the Mull of Kintyre.

Looking around you quickly note the wealth of well preserved old buildings spread out from the banks of the River Ayr as it meanders its way beneath a series of picturesque arched bridges through the town. This leaves you in no doubt of historic presence, some of Scotland's most colourful characters hailed from Ayrshire. Robert the Bruce was born in 1274 at Turnberry Castle, just to the south of Ayr, he became Scotland's legendry King and William Wallace, born in 1270 flourished as an Ayrshire outlaw.

Today's visitors to Ayr find it a lively cosmopolitan place, with modern shopping malls and a bustling High Street offering a rich variety of quaint local shops as well as the usual Chain Stores. Following a hard days shopping you will find numerous pubs, restaurants and pleasant cafe's to relax, enjoy a meal, before starting to enjoy Ayr's busy night-time scene. For evening entertainment there are theatre's, cinema's and, for the young there are several disco's to choose from.

At the start of the River Ayr Walk you can take time out to enjoy the ambience and "green lungs" of Cragie Park. The town's two other parks are Rozelle with its Art Gallery, and Bellisle which has a Walled Garden and two golf courses. Ayr is also the home of Scotland's premier racecourse which has a programme of both "Flat" and "National Hunt" racing. The course is the venue for the Scottish Grand National and the Ayr Gold Cup. The racecourse swaps its colours on a Sunday when it becomes the setting for a lively Sunday Market selling anything and everything from fruit and vegetables, to Tartan, bric-a-brac and antiques.

Naturally, Ayr's lovely location is ideal for fishing, but it also caters for other sports, including horse riding, tennis, bowling, football and cricket. An indoor leisure complex can be found at the harbour, this is known as the "Citadel Complex" and here there is a swimming pool, spa's, gyms and a sports hall.

The ageless attraction and true charm of Ayr lies in its beach backed by an attractive, flower filled, mile long promenade with a river at either end. The beach is a haven for sun worshippers, whilst on the rivers, constant entertainment is provided by the antics of river wildlife, seabirds and a gay flotilla of sailing boats.

One of the best ways to enjoy the marvellous coastal scenery is to take a day trip on the famous Paddle-Steamer Waverly, one of the last of her kind in the world. During the summer months the Waverly leaves Ayr Harbour for several scenic destinations including Brodick on the Isle of Arran, Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, or to the Kintyre Peninsula for Cambeltown or Tarbet. The journey to any of these destinations is relaxing and the breathtaking scenery is amongst the best in the world.