Ayrshire | Straiton
South-west Scotland
Located on the west coast of Scotland, lies the county of Ayrshire, also within the county is the town of Ayr. The location makes it an ideal place to explore, with Glasgow in the north only 40 minutes away. The Galloway national park to the south is 30 minutes away, and to the west, sandy shores full of derelict castles. There is also the Isle of Arran, just a boat trip away to be explored too. Ayrshire, in my opinion is a fantastic place if you like to have the option of both, city, sea and countryside. (More sea and countryside, I’d say)
We stayed in the rural quiet village of Straiton, “Ramble Territory” south of Ayrshire, which dates back to the late 18th century. It is said to be one of the most beautiful villages in southern Scotland, and I could see why. The peace and quiet of the village seemingly made you slow down, feeling like time had almost stopped. All that the village had was: one pub (Black Bull), one coffee shop (The Buck) and a local shop. It felt stripped back and simple. A great place to base ourselves.
Upon arrival, the one thing we noticed was the large monument that stood prominent high up on the steep hillside. From the village there is a short, but challenging hike to the monument, taking you through a secluded woodland and up an extremely steep hill! The views at the top over Straiton and beyond are great even on a dull day. Also, within the area are long and beautiful cycle rides too, which can take you into deep valleys, along quiet forest roads of the Galloway hills, or simply explore further south to the coast. Any direction takes you on some beautiful remote roads, and it is said to be a road cyclist mecca. I can confidently say I was in my element. Riding on quiet roads makes a huge difference.
If solitude is what you are looking for, then look no further, Ayrshire offers just that.
Places to visit
Hikes whislt in the area
