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Golf & Leisure

Ayrshire has plenty to offer the visitor, from its links with the Scottish Bard, Robert Burns, through to world famous golf and some of the best sailing waters in the United Kingdom. Horse riding, hunting, shooting and fishing can all be arranged for guests in conjunction with nearby estates and increasingly outdoor activities and extreme sports are becoming more available. 

Castles and historic trails abound with many famous sites of interest and ruins to be explored and a host of attractions associated with Burns.

On a sporting level, top quality horseracing takes place throughout the year at Ayr Racecourse and Premier League Scottish football can be watched at Kilmarnock Football Club and of course the Open Championship is played every few years in the county with the 2009 event being played over The Ailsa Course at Turnberry.

With the opening of the new M77 motorway the city of Glasgow is now only twenty minutes from much of Ayrshire and that opens up a range of world famous museums and galleries, arguably the best shopping outside of London and top class theatre, concerts and festivals.

For touring, Loch Lomond is less than an hour's drive and the capital city of Edinburgh less than two hours.

Whatever your primary reason for visiting Ayrshire there are plenty of secondary ones to keep you occupied during your stay.

Golf in Ayrshire

Ayrshire is world famous for its golf courses and it boasts three Open Championship courses The Ailsa at Turnberry, Prestwick and Royal Troon . The recent Open Championship at Turnberry showcased the west coast of Scotland better than any brochure ever could

In addition there are a host of quality links courses such as Kilmarnock Barassie, Glasgow Gailes, Western Gailes, Dundonald, Irvine Bogside, West Kilbride, the Turnberry Kintyre and Prestwick St Nicholas.

These course have come together to promote themselves under the banner of Scotland's West Coast Golf Links - the site has all the information you'd ever need on ten of Scotland's finest links courses

In Ayr and Troon you'll find three of the best muncipal courses in the country at Lochgreen and Darley and  Belleisle while other inland courses also provide a challenge including the excellent Brunston Castle near Turnberry or Loudoun Gowf Club just outside Kilmarnock. Prestwick also has a third course, the inland layout at St Cuthbert's.

Visitor Attractions

Ayrshire is well placed to offer the visitor plenty of things to do. It has a wide range of visitor attractions across the county and Castles and historic trails abound with many famous sites of interest and ruins to be explored and an abundance of family attractions and outdoor sports facilities.

History and heritage loom large with a list including the very splendid Culzean Castle, nearby Dundonald Castle and other country parks and castles at Kelburn and Dean. Robert Burns was born in nearby Alloway and there are now attractions showcasing his life and works and in May every year a festival of the arts, Burns an' a" That, celebrates his influence.

For the Burns enthusiast or even just the casual visitor a trip to the Burns National Heritage Park is a must. You can enjoy the audio-visual interpretation of Tam O'Shanter Experience before strolling along the road to visit Burns Cottage. Continue the experience with a visit to Souter Johnnie's Cottage or the Bachelor's Club.

For the family how about the Heads of Ayr Farm Park, Vikingar, Loudoun Castle Theme Park or experience a bit of industrial heritage at the Scottish Maritime Museum.

Family leisure centres include The Magnum, Galleon Leisure Centre and The Citadel in Ayr. Other outdoor and sporting facilities include the Newmilns Snow Centre which is about fifteen minutes from Kilmarnock and offers dry slope skiing and snowboarding facilities.

Getting to Ayrshire

It's never been easier to get to Ayrshire whether it be by road, rail, air or sea. For more information detailed information click on the link below