A lovely wide and soft, sandy, beach which is over a mile long and safe for swimming or walking…read more There are picnic areas and many benches along the promenade and marvellous views across the River Clyde to Arran, Aisa Craig and Kintyre. Plenty of parking spaces in the huge car park. It's not far to walk into the town from here and the nearby harbour is also a pleasant place to visit for a stroll (or a sail if you have a boat)!

I've been coming here for years as it's literally a few minutes from my house. It's a wonderful…read morearea for dogs to run around in and normally very quiet unless it's a very sunny day or is the weekend. Nature lovers can come here and Bird Watch as it's a Nature Reserve. Cyclists, Runners and Walkers use the park as a trail as it goes all the way past Mar Hall. Just watch out for dog poop, it's not generally picked up.

Not that it feels it but this is a small woodland, in Erskine beside the Erskine Bride on the edge…read moreof the River Clyde. There's a number of woodland walks, a few trails take you down to Erskine beach, where the old Erskine Ferry used to cross. There's lots of picnic areas and seats to rest at. The walk has circular paths or you can walk around the edge. There's a network of about 2 miles (3km) trails, all ideal for easy walking and cycling. The paths are wide and smooth, so great for buggies too but be prepared for a few short moderate slopes.

A nice, long beach…read more We've been staying in Irvine for one night before taking the ferry to Ireland. There wasn't much to do in town (very very dog-unfriendly; even in beer gardens), so we headed to Irvine Beach. It's only a short drive from town and there is plenty of free parking lots just at the beach. It is a lovely, clean and long stretch of sands behind some nice dunes. Visitors here are mostly locals and you can even spot some people riding their horses here. So of course it's dog-friendly too. Our doggy had a blast running along the shore. Since it's such a long beach, you won't be bothered much by other people, there is just so much space here. It was summer, but still it was pretty chilly with some strong winds. At dusk you might wanna bring a light jacket. There are toilets right at the parking lot, but besides that we didn't spot any other facilities. If you want a nice picnic I guess it's best to stock up some food at the close-by Rivergate Shopping Mall.

A lovely, long, shingle and sand beach which is within a short stroll from the town. Accessible for…read moreeveryone, the bordering promenade is wide and flat with benches facing the River Clyde. The views are beautiful across the water, especially towards Gourock and the Cloch Lighthouse, and it's nice to watch the ferries coming in and out. It's very peaceful around here as well as it's away from the road - it a lovely place to walk. I've met some very pleasant friendly people to chat to as well!

Lovely place to stroll along with the dogs, very peaceful and quiet with beautiful scenery…read more People that you do happen across are polite and friendly and happy to chat!

If the sun is out and you have a bit of time to enjoy a stroll down the beach front I would be very…read moresurprised if you did not have an enjoyable time at Troon beach. It's fairly simple and not at all fancy, bit it is a great place to get out the city and enjoy some sea air. It has all the usual things you expect at the beach like ice cream for sale and bouncy castles to keep kids amused. One great thing is there is no cars running alongside the promenade. So kids (or dogs) can have a bit of freedom to run or cycle (my dogs loves a cycle) about freely and the parents do not need to worry about traffic rushing by. Pleasant place for a weekend visit. Definitely worth a look if you have not been before.

Part of the 100 mile long Ayrshire Coastal Path which links beaches and promenades; this is a great…read moreplace to walk (even if just a mile or two) on a pleasant day! Alas, we visited in the drizzle and strong winds recently and, to be honest, didn't do a lot of walking! The huge beach is easily accessible (the Esplanade follows the full length of the beach) always seems well looked after, and is often used for windsurfing. It's a great place for families too, with rock pools to explore and a wide and safe beach for playing and picnics. Dogs are banned May-September. Troon Yacht Haven is nearby as are plenty of shops, cafes and restaurants, especially at the South Beach which is close to the town centre. There's a car park at the north end, on the site of the old swimming pool, and plenty of benches along the length of the Esplanade.

The Kelburn Castle has been a home to the Boyle family since it's construction in the 13th Century…read more It is the oldest castle in Scotland that has been continuously inhabited. Allowing the castle to be painted came about when the Boyle family were told that they would have to remove the tower because of damage to the stonework. Since it was going to be removed the family decided to ask four Brazilian street artists to paint the castle. Their graffiti art created so much excitement that the family appealed to the Historic Scotland to allow it to stay. They are a government agency responsible for preserving the country's historic monuments. The agency granted temporary permission and attached an end date. The end date has passed and the family is working towards extending it again. While I visited the castle it was under major renovations so perhaps the construction will stabilize the castle and allow it to continue to be known to tourists as the Graffiti Castle. It cost £9.00 to spend the day hiking on the property. It was an absolutely amazing day and I highly recommend visiting this property. There is a visitor office with hiking maps, bathroom facilities and an area to purchase food. Included in our entrance fee was a tour of the spooky forest. They had a children's section by day and adult section at night. I passed on the Halloween fun because of time restraints.

Just a short car or train ride from Glasgow, this place is an absolute hoot and was by far my all…read moretime favourite place to go with my family in summer when I was little. The best thing here was the Secret Forest where you got to explore a giants castle, cross the crocodile swamp and hide from the witch in the gingerbread house, and at the end of the Secret Forest you got a lolly pop for your troubles. There are around 10 different stops on the Secret Forest trail and each place has it's own little story which always had my imagination running riot. There was also pony rides which my parents always made me go on but I hated, but most little girls seem to love horse riding so it's very popular. There's an adventure corner with a giant fort to play on for hours, a pets corners with owls, rabbits, guinea pigs and countless other critters. I also really enjoyed the indoor play barn where I could spend hours in the ball pool, writing about Kelburn makes me wish that I was little again. Kelburn Castle itself is stunning and it's a beautiful wedding venue, but I spent most of my time in the huge childrens area. I can't put into words how great this place is, you really have to visit it yourself, it's completely magical and an unforgettable family day out.

Portencross is a beautiful beach area just as you come out of Seamil heading to Largs on the A78…read more Follow the road down to the beach front car park and you can take a nice walk along the beach front, visit the old Portencross Castle and generally just take it easy and enjoy the scenery. There is also a pier where you fish from. Dispite this place being signposted, its always quiet so its a great place to go to for peace and quiet.

Ayr beach is so good especially in summer when it's warm. it can get a quite busy but its amazing…read moreI've been going since I was about 3 and there's so much memories here I recommend going, just make sure the tyde doesn't come in.

Aye Beach is located on the western coastline of Ayrshire. The sand was beautiful and the water was…read moregorgeous. It is kept up and well cared for by the community. The first time that I visited it was being enjoyed by many families and their dogs. Only the dogs were swimming. Lots of people were having picnics and playing in the sand. On my second visit the beach was completely empty. Across the street there is a massive playground for the children. I also saw little food stops with carnival type food for sale.

Beautiful unspoilt sandy beach with a wee shop, cafe and carpark. If you park in the main car park…read moreyou need to get an exit token from the shop. you can find more information on the beach here http://www.fieldmaster224.co.uk/oliverstravels.html