Ayrshire Coastal Path Girvan - Dunure

If all went well today was to be a big day in that I was hoping to complete this walk from Girvan to Dunure which in turn would mean the completion of the Ayrshire Coastal Path route for me. My plan was to walk to Maidens as a minimum and depending on weather and more importantly the tide, the last section to Dunure. I had checked the tide tables and we were due high tide at 1.15 which did put the second stretch in balance.

Girvan boatyard

I took the train down to Girvan and started my walk at 11am, a bit later than normal but it would give me a chance with the tidal stretches. This was the first time I had trained it to Girvan and enjoyed the some times familiar scenery from a different perspective, very enjoyable. But, it was a sad entrance to Girvan. The train went past an arable field and I spotted a swan sitting in the middle of it, a bit strange but further into the field it looked like a body of another swan lying below some power lines. I believe swans mate for life so I wonder how long it would wait in that field? 

Ailsa from Girvan

From Girvan station the walk goes via the small operational harbour where a couple of fishing boats were receiving care and maintenance. One of the few operational shipyards left on the Clyde. There were some good views of Ailsa from the harbour then the walk proceeds to Girvan golf course. I have played this course a few times and it is a little gem of a course with 8 links and 10 inland holes. The walk takes you down the side of the inland section. The terrible rains have impacted on this section and the course looks very damp and boggy underfoot.
The route now takes you through a working farm. I was a little apprehensive but the cows were all eating away in their barns so little interest in me.

Rocky walking

Down towards the shore and I stuck to the farm track bordering the sea edge. The high tide meant the beach walking was along large boulder formations and would have been very awkward. Keep going past more farm buildings where I finally went onto the beach. Not easy walking but enough patches of sand around to get a footing. A little further ahead I thought I saw 4 large plastic bundles, probably hay or something but they didn't look quite right. As I closed in I realised that they were 4 bulls. Thankfully a small fence separated us as I went by and they showed little interest but the 1st one was undoubtedly the largest bull I have come across.
Onwards I went and had to take the tidal detour behind some cottages before going onto the beach again.
The going was still awkward, not many clear sand patches to walk on. At the agate factory I thought I might get through on the beach side but the burn was running too fast and deep so once again took the tidal detour via the main road.
Back on the beach another burn blockage at the Turnberry turn off, feet immersed in water but the waterproofing of the boots held good.
Because it was a flat stretch I did not bother with walking poles but they would have been helpful today giving another anchor point when crossing the many burns. 

Balancing Rock

At one point there are some rocks just out at sea. One of them is balanced on top of another. What must have been the power of the sea storm that moved a rock of this size?
Now striding along a proper beach with the lighthouse at the end of the golf course firmly in my view. However once again an impenetrable water obstacle meant I had to climb the dunes and go onto the golf course which is under major reconstruction by a certain Mr Donald Trump.

Unpassable water

I meandered around the edge of the course, not sure where the real path had gone, and came out at the Maidens nursing home. Again a barbed wire fence to climb, more blood gushing, I walked through the complex to the main road and down to Maidens. I'm sure the formal route does not go through that but there you go.
The weather had threatened rain but this seemed to have blown though, the wind was colder but I was on track time-wise so decision made, try to finish at Dunure.

Lighthouse Turnberry

The last time I walked the beach at Maidens I came across a dead seal but nothing in my way today except more rocky ground.

Culzean Castle

Up off the beach and followed the wooded trail through the grounds of Culzean castle, many of the trees uprooted by the storms this year. One bright spot was the number of snowdrops coming through, a first for me this year. The lake was well stocked with coots; merganser; golden eyes; mallards and a few others.
Past the impressive Culzean castle, worth a tour around if you are not familiar with it and its outbuildings. You now get a good view of the route ahead via Croy bay. At this section there was a very weird occurrence, as I descended through the wooden path to get to the beach. There was nobody else around but three times I stopped thinking I heard/felt that someone was right behind me. Spooky or what? I have never had that type of experience before, not scary but made me think, do I believe in ghosts?

Croy Bay from Culzean

The tideline was still high but I could make it beachside, albeit again very awkward walking on the boulders. The bay sweeps nicely around with good views ahead and out to Arran. I could see a dog walker in the distance a good sign that the beach was passable.
As I neared the caravan park it looked like I could get by the first obstacle. the guidebook warns that the caravan park is private property so cannot be accessed if high tide prevents the beach passage. I would not have turned back but headed up to the road via either the caravan park or I'm sure there is a track coming down from the road to Croy Bay. In Scotland there is the right of responsible access so I was confident that I would have an exit route.

The Point

Over yet another burn and an easy clamber over the rocks, feeling good until I realised that the blockage mentioned in the guidebook, The Point, was still ahead of me. Fortunately the tide had retreated just far enough to let me get by with a little scrambling but no doubt it would be interesting at full high tide.
The next short stretch was again hard walking on a very rocky surface. The guidebook talks about shingle beaches on these stretches but these are far removed from shingle in my view.

Looking back Croy Bay

At the end of this section there is a short but steep climb up a grassy path. The route then follows the edge of some arable fields. There has clearly been livestock in the recent past in these fields and some of the ground is well churned up with your boots sinking well into the gloop at the kissing gates, now some very muddy boots and trousers.
This bit is a bit of a trudge, in the second field I have lost any sign of markers , the tops of posts painted white, so I follow the field edge and then I recognise the top of the road going into Dunure and spot a kissing gate ahead.
Now I can see my destination, the castle of Dunure and journeys end. A short grassy, muddy track leads you down, watch out for dog poo, disgustingly frequent I'm sad to say. Then I have arrived.

Dunure Castle

I had managed to get my GPS bike tracker working and it logged the walk as 15.2 miles taking 5 hours. About right considering the terrain. This was probably the hardest section of the path in terms of hard stony walking, rocking the joints quite a bit. For some it might be better to split it into 2 sections stopping at Maidens and enjoying the fabulous food at Wildings.
So that's it done, over 100 miles of Ayrshire, a really enjoyable set of outings. There were plenty of excellent views, some I never expected, ground that I had never covered before and I learnt a lot about Ayrshire in the process.
It is definitely time for that celebratory pint or two and think about which long distance route to tackle next.