This walk is part of the trek Ayrshire Coastal Path.
This is a well way-marked route, entirely low-level and passes some of the most iconic sights in the area, including Ailsa Craig and Turnberry Lighthouse. Golf fans will love walking right across the middle of Trump Turnberry Golf Course!
(D) From Ainslie Park in Girvan head onto the promenade and turn right to walk North.
(1) After 1.8km you will see Girvan Boating Pond and a kids play area on your right. Just beyond there the promenade ends and you should turn right (East) to walk through the harbour car park.
(2) Continue along the edge of the harbour and past the RNLI Girvan Lifeboat Station, reaching a set of steps.
Go up the steps and onto Knockcushan Street. Turn left (East) and at the crossroads turn left again (North) onto Bridge Street.
(3) After 130m at the church turn left (North West) onto a minor road.
(4) Turn left (South West) after only 100m to cross the River Girvan via Newton Kennedy Bridge.
At the crossroads continue straight ahead (West) onto Newton Place, heading towards the shipyard and Coastguard Station.
(5) You will reach some landscaped ground on your right. Follow the footpath around the perimeter of it, the water on your left-hand side, to reach the car park for Girvan Golf Course after 350m.
Turn right (East) here to walk through the car park and onto Golf Course Road.
Turn left (North) then almost immediately right (East) along a residential street to reach a minor road (also called Golf Course Road on the map).
(6) Turn left (North) and continue along this road, which skirts the perimeter of the golf course, for 1km until you reach a crossroads.
(7) Turn left (North West) then left again (North) after 200m to walk through Girvan Mains Farm.
(8) The next section is along a good farm track running parallel to the coast. About 1km along, shortly after passing the Girvan Waste Water Treatment Plant, the road begins to turn inland and a wooden marker post directs walkers left (North) onto the beach along a grass verge.
(9) After passing in front of the cottages at Curragh, you can either continue along the beach if the tide allows, or walk along the edge of the field, entering and exiting the field via kissing gates at each end. Return onto the beach once out of the field.
(10) 1km beyond Curragh Cottages you will reach Dipple Burn. If the tide and depth of the burn allow, cross it and continue North on the beach. If the burn is not passable, turn right (East) along a track to reach the A77 Trunk Road. Turn left (North) to follow a wide grassy verge behind the DuPont building to a stile. Cross the stile to enter a field and walk around the field edges, eventually returning to the beach. This short tidal de-tour is fully way-marked.
(11) Continue North along the sandy beach for approx 1.7km at which point look out for an obvious set of wooden steps built into the sand dunes on your right-hand side. This short inland de-tour takes you around the upcoming Milton Burn and back onto the beach just beyond. If there is a very low tide you may be able to continue along the beach instead of taking the steps.
Continue North on the sandy beach for 1.3km, Turnberry Lighthouse visible ahead.
(12) On reaching a rocky outcrop at the north end of the bay, turn inland and follow the Ayrshire Coastal Path way-markers North then East across Turnberry Golf Course and out onto the A719.
(13) Turn left (North) at A719 to walk along the roadside pavement for 1.2km to reach Maidens.
(14) Just past Maidens Primary School, turn left (West) onto Harbour Road where the walk ends at the car park at Maidens Harbour, 100m along (A)
Waypoints :
D : km 0 - alt. 4m - Ainslie Park, Girvan
1 : km 1.85 - alt. 0m - End of Girvan Promenade
2 : km 2.29 - alt. 8m - Steps
3 : km 2.47 - alt. 6m - Church
4 : km 2.58 - alt. 5m - Newton Kennedy Bridge
5 : km 3.11 - alt. 6m - Girvan Golf Course car park
6 : km 4.3 - alt. 10m - Crossroads
7 : km 4.57 - alt. 12m - Girvan Mains Farm
8 : km 5.87 - alt. 4m - Road turns inland - continue along grass verge
9 : km 7.27 - alt. 4m - Curragh Cottages
10 : km 8.26 - alt. 4m - Dipple Burn high tide de-tour
11 : km 11.58 - alt. 1m - Milton Burn high tide de-tour - wooden steps
12 : km 13.33 - alt. 4m - Rocky outcrop at north end of bay
13 : km 14.61 - alt. 10m - A719
14 : km 15.82 - alt. 5m - Harbour Road
A : km 15.97 - alt. 3m - Maidens Harbour
For more information and a route review visit Gillian's Walks
Transport
Amenities
Terrain
A mixture of surfaced promenade and minor roads, grassy paths, sandy beaches and field crossings (possibly muddy). Several stiles and kissing gates especially if following the tidal de-tours. Several sets of steps.
You can purchase the official Ayrshire Coastal Path guidebook from their website.
Visorando and this author cannot be held responsible in the case of accidents or problems occuring on this walk.
Ailsa Craig
Isle of Arran
RNLI Girvan Lifeboat Station
Girvan Coastguard Station
Fields of Ayrshire tatties (springtime)
Grant's Whisky Distillery
Turnberry Lighthouse
Trump Turnberry Golf Course
Turnberry Castle - birthplace of Robert the Bruce
Maidens Harbour
This route involves some beach walking as well as a pleasant inland stretch on farm tracks across some higher ground. Some very interesting geology can be found on the beach at Kennedy’s Pass as you approach Girvan.
Beautifully scenic forestry tracks take you along to Kirstie’s Cairn, a memorial to young local farmer Christopher McTaggart who lost his life there in a blizzard in 1913.
A stunning circular route through the idylic South Ayrshire countryside, the Fairy Knowe Trail is most definitely one of Scotland’s hidden gems. The walk follows a variety of forest tracks, mossy tree corridors, and hillside footpaths to reach a viewpoint known as the Fairy Knowe. After a short but steep descent, the track returns to the start following the course of the Water of Gregg.
Enjoy the clifftop views of the more rugged sections of coastline around Culzean Castle & Country Park and the fields just south of Dunure. You will even pass directly in front of the incredible 18th century Culzean Castle, as well as the remains of Dunure Castle – which dates back as far as the 1200s!
This route follows the sand, shingle and pebble beach from Ballantrae harbour along to Bennane Hill at which point it heads inland to follow the A77 down to Lendalfoot.
This is an incredible walk along one of the most rugged sections of the Ayrshire Coast. You will experience varied terrain including beaches, rocky outcrops, grassy farmland and a disused railway. Prepare yourself for stunning views and a unique sense of remoteness.
Entirely inland, this route is very peaceful and offers easy walking. Initially across hilly moorland the path then winds its way down to the village of Ballantrae following farm tracks and quiet country roads. The views on a clear day are simply stunning.
One of Scotland’s Great Trails, the Ayrshire Coastal Path runs 100 miles between Glenapp in the South and Skelmorlie in the North. It is a perfect mix of inland and on-beach sections which keeps things varied and interesting. With either Ailsa Craig or Isle of Arran as your companion for the vast majority of the way, there is always some stunning scenery to gaze out at (if you get the weather!) From golden sandy beaches to rugged rocky shorelines, Ayrshire has it all!
For more walks, use our search engine.
The GPS track and description are the property of the author.