Ayrshire Coastal Path Troon - Ardrossan

After what seems like an eternity of gale force winds it is great to have a period of relative calm. With all the snow around my only option is a low level walk so I decided to do another stretch of this path. I had intended to do this yesterday but the weather forecast said snow/sleet coming in mid morning onwards so I decided to pass. Guess what, the snow did come in but not until 8 pm so a bit annoyed. A check on the met office this morning indicated a dull cold day but more importantly no snow or rain so off we go.

Looking to Arran in the snow

This section of the Coastal walk is a bit of a misnomer as about half of it is well away from the coast and follows inland paths so be prepared.
The first section of the walk  from Troon in the guide gives you two alternatives; an inland walk via the ruins of Dundonald castle or the beach walk. I am familiar with the castle area so for me it is the direct route today. I started at Troon harbour on this slightly bleak morning, well wrapped up for the trip. If you finish the Ayr section here you have the bonus option of visiting the Wee Hurrie one of Scotland's best fish & chippies. The don't call it a supper here so just ask for haddock & chips and I doubt you will be disappointed. However too early for it to be open so on with the walk. This stretch skirts past Troon marina, you can pop in and look around, some high value boats here. Onwards past the ferry terminal which at the moment is a summer only fast boat to Belfast so there is no activity today. The walk skirts around Troon but it is easy to pop into the town if you want some provisions or just a look around. You now come onto the cycle path which is an easy follow or you can go onto the beach. You now have views on your left of Arran all the way to Irvine, that is if unlike today it isn't hidden by the gloom, however to show you how different our days are here is a photo of Arran taken on Monday.
The houses of Barassie shore line your left and when you reach the end of the cycle path do not follow it up to the houses but continue on the grassy area following the beach.
When you reach the pumping station you can continue along the beach or follow the edge of the dunes via the golf course. There is a right of way alongside the course but take care, the golfers of Western Gailes can be a stuck up lot and whilst many will give you a friendly greeting a significant few will just glare at you. Your choice.

Tideline obvious

It is a straight walk along the beach so no maps required. The dunes on your right are now collapsing rapidly as the sea reclaims the land, they are now a shadow of their once mighty size. It would appear neither North nor South Ayrshire councils have any will to do anything about the erosion. Very sad, no doubt someone will come to their senses but it will be too late and most of the sand and grass will be long gone.

Look out coast side for all the normal seashore birds along the waters edge and if you have the binos keep scanning the sea you might be surprised what is out there. It has been strange having last nights snow flurry covering the sand where the incoming tide didn't reach.
I am breaking in a new pair of boots which are fine but the main issue being the laces are crap and keep loosening. I finally found out that if you tie them tightly the tension doesn't hold and they quickly loosen. I therefore had to tie them looser which also meant the boots were a looser fit than I like. Poor show Salomen for over £100 quid boots duff laces. So I now had a doubt in my mind as to whether I would complete the walk. Thankfully I didn't end up with any blistering.
The guide book says this stretch is 6 miles but I think it is a bit shorter. As I step off the shore and up-to the car park the temperature cools slightly in the breeze but it is enough to get me to pull the zips up.

Irvine bay & mudflats

I can see round the bay ahead but the route now goes inland, past the mudflats, again a good winter birding spot. We head towards Irvine town then follow the cycle path over the River Irvine and effectively now you are following this cycle route all the way to Ardeer.

River Irvine, railway viaduct & Ardeer beyond

The path goes past the area known as Bogside, the name tells you everything. There used to be a racecourse which hosted the Scottish Grand National but it is now gone. There is a challenging golf course but we don't really see much of it today.
The path is now getting decidedly slippy as the new snow has settled on previous ice so the grassy verges are my chosen area for walking particularly on inclines and declines. The prospect of a sore bottom is forefront in my mind.
This area is very much a reclaimed wetland and the Nature reserve you pass can be explored with care but not today, as you can see most of the water is iced over and only for the ducks and the wetland birds.

A short bit ahead you have the choice of taking a short detour of about a mile each way, into Kilwinning to visit their historic Abbey. Again I know the area well so pass on the detour. If you do this in June check the town website as a famous archery contest takes place that month.
This stretch is for me the most boring, it is mainly tarmac, some path and some minor road, as you skirt around Kilwinning and cut underneath the main road and head to Stevenston. In fairness it is very quiet but on a day like today there is not a lot going for it. The usual hedgerow birds are very active, spring bonding taking place, so at least there is something to look at apart from the icy path.
We now enter Ardeer Park which has a duckpond which normally has a few duck varieties but today it is iced over and the ducks are elsewhere. Still, it is time to have a short break, get the flask out and enjoy some home-made soup. A couple of local dog walkers are disappointed that I did not have any left to share with them.
Despite the gloomy day I am well wrapped up so cold is not an issue and I am even regularly off and on with my gloves and hat. There was once a canal in this site but the water has long since gone.
I follow the icy path/road up to the train station where the warning barriers are down and red lights are flashing for what seems like 5 minutes before the 3 coach train pulls into the station. For a few local worthies this appears to be today's entertainment. A couple of sizeable local ladies are struggling with their footing, fiercely holding onto each other, a case of 'if one goes down we both go'!!

Ardeer dunes looking North

Through the gates and I can see open land again, yippee, a big grassy area with some dunes in the distance. Even a play park for the kids. These dunes are a designated nature area but there are many tracks through them so clearly popular with walkers or more likely dog walkers from my experience today. However, it was great to stand atop of a dune and take in the view, a calm sea, looking back the Ardeer works, a pale shadow of the industrialisation that once stood here. Not so good for the workers but a lot better for the views. Looking north the bay leads to Saltcoats pier, again historically a major port but now more or less abandoned.

Ardeer dunes looking south

I clamber off the dunes and walk along the beach to the promenade. Anyone who lives in the West of Scotland will be familiar with it but maybe not realise how familiar they are with it. Whenever a big storm hits the West the camera crews make a beeline for here to get some great shots of huge waves crashing over the promenade and onto the rail line. 

The promenade

The promenade is sadly abandoned save for the odd dog walker heading back to the static caravan site, am I the only walker today without a dog? Just me and a few gulls. The three towns of Stevenston, Saltcoats & Ardrossan have a rich industrial history, linking the area with the other coastal resorts of Irvine, Troon & Ayr. As always fortunes are made by some then lost again just as quickly. Read the guidebook for detailed information on the industrial history of the area.

Gulls & a calm sea

I have reached Saltcoats harbour, also sadly giving the impression of being derelict, additionally the high harbour wall walk is closed for repairs after the last storm. I suspect it is rarely open. A walk around the bay promenade brings me to Ardrossan bay and I'm nearly at the end of this section. The two bays are lined with Victorian mansions, a reminder of the historic industrial importance of these bays, but now they are mostly divided into flats.
There are some attempts to shore front entertainment, amusement arcades and even a cinema, but all in all not a lot going for it.

Ardrossan from Saltcoats

A final walk along the beach takes me into Ardrossan proper. This stretch alongside the beach is still a bit tired and run down. Further on in the harbour area major regeneration is taking place, marinas, restaurants and new housing but this area could do with some support. The views into the Dalry hills are sadly spoiled by the wind turbines. You can cross the road, take a short walk and visit Ardrossan castle, another one destroyed by our 'friend' Cromwell. It wasn't until I read the guide book that I learned that the stone from the castle was taken to Ayr to build the Citadel, you learn something every day. 
I have enjoyed my walk today, the exercise was welcome even if the dullish day and the time of year meant that there was less colour around. As I said in the beginning this is the stretch with the most time walking away from the coast so just accept it.
A 5 hour walk for me, the signpost indicates 17 miles but I felt it was closer to 15 but good nonetheless.

Ayrshire Coastal Path Ardrossan - Portencross

The festivities are over and my weight has gone up so a need for serious exercise is a priority. Along with many others I have had a cold and sore throat for what seems like weeks now, so no heavy running or cycling just yet. I woke up this morning to rain battering the bedroom window. 

Looking across to Arran

The forecast last night had indicated that today could be the only decent day for the rest of the week so what's the score? On went the internet to check and the met office site now showed the rain to clear up about 9 am, then mainly dry with the possibility of some blustery wintery showers. Make your mind up time but as the rest of the week shows constant rain today is the day for getting outdoors. As it turned out we saw plenty of blue sky and black stuff as well.
A friend wanted to come with me but his walking distance is limited so I opted for a straight forward stretch of the Ayrshire Coastal Path. I intend to walk the whole path over the next few months but I will be doing it in stages rather than one 5 or 6 day chunk. It is easier for me to do it this way and as it passes my door there is no need to pay for B&B's etc. But as it is a straight line up the southern west coast logistics will still be slightly challenging without two cars. 

Looking south an angry front goes past

As I pack some gear into the car the rain comes on again, is this an omen? Pick up Franny and a short drive takes us to the town of Ardrossan, probably more famous as the place to get the ferry to the Isle of Arran but it is a starting point in the guide for the path. Ardrossan is in the process of reinventing itself from being a town with a high area of unemployment and poverty to a modern marina with surrounding upmarket apartments and restaurants. This is ongoing with further development plans in the works, well done to them.
The walk for us starts close to the ferry terminal and we can see the ferry out at sea heading towards the magnificent island of Arran. A short stroll soon has us going along the seaside walkway. The wind batters us from the North but the skies are blue, for the moment. Today we will have the sea on our left for the full walk and as we are walking northwards the sun is at our back. Helpful as in these conditions at this time of year the sun can be sore on the eyes. You have a choice of beach or roadside path. Pick the beach and you are hardly aware of the road traffic. 
This stretch of sandy coastline takes you up to Seamill/West Kilbride. On a nice summers day the cars will line this route as families enjoy the beach. It is known locally as the pink beach due to its high sandstone content, many of these sandstone outcrops are still intact along the way. The views across the firth are to Arran with snow on the high tops. It is a day when Arran frequently disappears as the next weather front rolls down the firth. Thankfully we avoided the worst of it until late on.

Seamill - West Kilbride

The wind is still blustery by the time we reach Seamill/West Kilbride and today we stay on the beach path which avoids the need to go through the town, unless you want some food and drink or toilets as there are none of these on the path itself. Seamill mainly sits on the coastline with West Kilbride slightly inland. West Kilbride has developed itself as a craft town with small businesses and galleries if you wish a detour. Thankfully as we go past the caravan park the wind drops and the walking is more comfortable.
This coastal walk is full of inlets some well populated with sea-birds. In one alone we spotted mallard; widgeon; teal; oystercatchers; curlew; redshank; turnstone and most common gulls, not a bad start.

Looking north to Little Cumbrae

The beach is popular with dog walkers but thankfully no angry dogs around today only sniffers. Sadly there are more instances of dog dirt around than I would like to see. As we walk on the view north is dominated by Little Cumbrae which stands out majestically when the sun hits it. This small island has a ruined castle which was destroyed by Cromwell. You can see the existing settlement from Portencross. The island is owned by a Hindu couple and is said to be a centre for yoga and meditation but in reality little is known about their activities.
The route now takes you past the golf course which is demanding at the best of times but more difficult with this wind. All the golfers are well wrapped up. I enjoyed my first round of the year yesterday but it was a much milder day.
The beach has disappeared into a mass of rocks and boulders lined with slippery seaweed. We pass a waymarker for 'Portencross Road' but decide to keep walking to the point where we come across a small gate into a field. The local cows have done their best in making this section a thick muddy gloop so a short detour towards the sea allows us to cross into firmer ground. 

Portencross Castle

At the other end of the field is Portencross castle which has a carpark if you were doing this as a 2 car job. We stick to the rocky shore and approach the castle from this side. The panoramic views at this point are just breathtaking, you just can't buy this scenery, absolutely magnificent. To our west across the firth is Arran, looking north you can see the Argyll peninsula. Little Cumbrae dominates immediately in front and to its side the houses of Millport Bay stand out. Behind Cumbrae the hills part to reveal the entrance to the Holy Loch and right beside us is Portencross castle. With the blue sky, blue water, waves sparkling white as they end their journey crashing onto the rocks, what a scene. The castle has stood since the 1300's but has anecdotal history going back to the 800-1000's when it is said the bodies of Scottish kings departed from Portencross to their burial sites on Iona, a hazardous journey. It is also said that Robbie Stewart, the 1st Stewart king, signed 'charters' here.
The weather at times was extremely black and angry as it passed on either side of us, so far so lucky, we had been spared. At this point against the darkness I saw the enormous shape of a nuclear submarine as it came down the firth after leaving its Faslane base on the aforementioned Holy Loch. Whatever your view on the money spent on this deterrent it is still an impressive sight.

Nuclear sub heading to sea

Rainbow over Seamill

We had done our bit for the day. The final stretch of the walk from Portencross to Largs I will look forward to another day. According to the guide book today our walk was just over 6 miles. We have another 3 miles or so backtracking to get our lift so a good enough stretch of the legs. We had spotted quite a few rainbows today and right at the end of our walk the black heavens opened with ice rain beating down, a short but wet shower with our own close up of a rainbow.

Portencross coastline

It is January, hat and gloves on but it was a cracking wee walk to get the year started, as they say in the west of Scotland, pure dead brilliant.