An afternoon trip to Ayr, departing Burntisland 10.44am, arriving Ayr 1.53pm. Glasgow in the evening for Laura Marling.
The journey from Glasgow Central to Ayr is interesting (they all are) for its initial view over the River Clyde as your train exits Central Station, its views of old industry, of rolling farmland, of the wildfowl havens around RSPB Lochwinnoch (swans, goldeneye, mallard, tufted duck...), then coastal Irvine, Troon, Prestwick, Ailsa Craig far off, Holy Isle and Arran even further beyond that.
The journey from Glasgow Central to Ayr is interesting (they all are) for its initial view over the River Clyde as your train exits Central Station, its views of old industry, of rolling farmland, of the wildfowl havens around RSPB Lochwinnoch (swans, goldeneye, mallard, tufted duck...), then coastal Irvine, Troon, Prestwick, Ailsa Craig far off, Holy Isle and Arran even further beyond that.
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| on-train sketches, pen in sketchbook |
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| on-train sketches, pen in sketchbook |
Reaching Ayr we refilled flask at the on-platform coffee booth then explored to the shore, knowing the right general direction but not using any map. A great sweep of sand runs off to the south ending in cliffy Heads of Ayr and the Carrick Hills above. The tower ruin of Greenan Castle is tempting me back.
The Ayrshire Coastal Path is here, running south to Glenapp and north to Largs. We followed only one of its eighty or more miles, a substantial path through remnants of scrubby dune. My first singing stonechat of the year was there in the gorse. A female was close by, closely watching her potential mate.
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| looking to Greenan Castle |
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| Greenan Castle, pen in sketchbook |
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| there's a stonechat somewhere in there |
A stream crosses your path just after a lovely area of boggy grassland on your left. Go upriver here with stream on your right, new houses on your left. Birds were singing loud, telling that spring had sprung. Greenfinch, goldfinch, chaffinch, sparrow, thrush, robin. The little path emerges onto a busy A road - A719. Cross over and straight into the woodland of Belleisle Estate and golf course.
Coming soon to the currently fenced grand house pass behind it to an obvious signposted path leading over the golf course to another busy road, B7024. Cross the road and enter the next wooded estate - Rozelle. In here is Rozelle House and Maclaurin Art Gallery and tea rooms. The gallery was the reason we'd come to Ayr, to see Alexander Gaudie's seriously impressive series of 54 large-scale paintings depicting Robert Burns' Tam o' Shanter. You can see the whole collection in a very nicely presented book published by Birlinn.
Upstairs was a smaller exhibition of Alexander's son Lachlan Goudie's work, a small selection of local history exhibits and a small Henry Moore bronze.
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| Rozelle |
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| Rozelle House |
After the exhibition we explored Rozelle Park woods then back across the golf course and to the station, this time meandering along residential streets, enjoying discussing hedges and hedge choices and lamenting the spots where they've been replaced by fence, slab, gravel.
While we're at it, planting a hedge is a really valuable and satisfying thing to do for nature, have a go, ideas here. Why not Take the Hedge Pledge each March to August. Encourage friends and neighbours to do the same.
While we're at it, planting a hedge is a really valuable and satisfying thing to do for nature, have a go, ideas here. Why not Take the Hedge Pledge each March to August. Encourage friends and neighbours to do the same.
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Glasgow - Laura Marling
In the evening we were at the O2 ABC in Glasgow seeing Laura Marling touring her new album Semper Femina.
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How to get there
Trains to Ayr take about an hour from Glasgow Central and run half-hourly. For full details check 'Ayrshire, Inverclyde & Stranraer Timetable' and 'Buy Tickets' options on ScotRail website.
Many thanks ScotRail for enabling my Scotland by Rail work.
