About Ayrshire

Barony A Frame

Barony Road
Auchineck
KA18 2LL

This vast steel structure, which stood at the shaft of Barony Colliery, has been restored as a permanent monument to the coal mining industry in East Ayrshire. Beneath the impressive frame is interpretive signage telling the story of the area’s mining past.

Burns House Museum

Castle Street
Mauchline
KA5 5BZ
01563 554902

A dynamic and lively museum with interactive and changing displays. Covering the period in Burns’ life when he lived in Mauchline and surrounding areas. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm.

Burns Monument Centre

Kay Park
Kilmarnock
KA3 7RU
01563 576695

This custom built centre provides a unique facility for ancestral tourists, attracting visitors from around the world to trace their roots and see the digital version of Robert Burns’ “Kilmarnock Edition”. Open Monday to Thursday 9.15am to 4.45pm, Friday 9.15am to 3.45pm and Saturday 10am to 4pm.

Burns an a that! Festival

Now in its 10th year, the Burns an a that! Festival takes place in various locations and venues in and around Ayr town centre. This year’s event takes place between 25th and 30th May 2011. To find out more, visit burns.visitscotland.com/festival

Cook School Scotland

Braehead Foods
Moorfield North Industrial Park
Kilmarnock
KA2 0FE (use KA12RS for SATNAV)
www.cookschool.org

A five star attraction offering a range of classes and culinary demonstrations from hands on classes to demo and dine evenings, in a beautiful kitchen with some of the country’s top chefs.

Culzean Castle & Country Park

Maybole
Ayrshire
KA19 8LE
0844 493 2149
www.culzeanexperience.org

Situated on the B7023 south of Maybole, this imposing cliff top former home of the Kennedy family is now in the stewardship of the National Trust for Scotland.

This Adam designed stately home, visitor centre, formal gardens and acres of country park are open to the public. Guided tours, walks and special events are offered throughout the summer season. The Gardening Club for adults and Young Naturalists Club for children are popular. Dolphin House, the former castle laundry, is now an outdoor education centre run jointly with South Ayrshire Council.

Dean Castle & Country Park

Dean Road
Kilmarnock
KA3 1XB
01563 554902
www.deancastle.com

A major visitor attraction in the centre of Kilmarnock, featuring extensive arms, armour and musical instrument collections. Set within the country park and supported by a lively event programme, this venue provides a truly interactive and memorable visit. Open every day between 11am and 5pm.

Dick Institute Museum & Gallery

Elmbank Avenue
Kilmarnock
KA1 3BU
01563 554902

South West Scotland’s leading art gallery and museum. The Dick hosts a dynamic changing exhibition programme and features collections from arts to natural history. Open Tuesday to Saturday between 11am and 5pm.

Dumfries House

Cumnock
KA18 2NJ
01290 551111
www.dumfries-house.org

One of Britain’s most beautiful stately homes and best kept heritage secrets. With its sumptuous interiors and magnificent furnishings, all set in two thousand acres of land, there is something to delight and enchant visitors of all ages.

The house will be open from 25th April to 14th October 2011. Guided tours of the house will from Sunday to Friday, 11.00am to 4.00pm. Please check website for bookings and availability. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling the booking line on 01290 421742 or online. Same day tickets can be reserved by calling the booking line, or just drop in and join the next available tour.

Galleon Leisure Centre

99 Titchfield Street
Kilmarnock
KA1 1QY
01563 524014
www.galleoncentre.com

Facilities include an excellent 25m swimming pool, air conditioned fitness room with over 80 stations, qualified instructors, relaxation area, ice rink for skating and curling, various fitness classes, indoor bowling, badminton, squash and much more.

Palace Theatre & Grand Hall

9 Green Street
Kilmarnock
KA1 3BN
01563 554900

Ayrshire’s leading entertainment venue, featuring music, drama, dance, comedy and variety. Call the box office or click on www.visiteastayrshire.com for details of upcoming shows.

Robert Burns Birthplace Museum

Murdoch's Lone
Alloway
Ayr
KA7 4PQ
0844 493 2601
www.burnsmuseum.org.uk

The newly-opened world class visitor attraction houses the most significant Burns collection of its kind including 5,000 historic artefacts, manuscripts and pieces of memorabilia. It brings together the Alloway sites with a connection to Burns - the new museum, the Burns Monument, Alloway Auld Kirk, Burns Cottage, an education pavilion and the Brig O'Doon.

From short strolls to energetic walks, Ayrshire has something to suit all ages and abilities. It also boasts a spectacular and varied landscape meaning that walking and cycling along the paths and through villages is the best way to experience "the real Ayrshire".

Click here to find out more about the walks in the grounds of Dumfries House.

Perhaps the most popular Ayrshire walking route is the River Ayr Way. This 44 mile source to sea walk is the only one of its kind in Scotland and passes through many East Ayrshire villages including Muirkirk, Sorn, Catrine and Mauchline, continuing on into South Ayrshire and passing through Mossblown, Tarbolton and Auchincruive before reaching the county town of Ayr. To find out more about this walk and the attractions and accommodation along the way, visit www.riverayrway.org

Since 2002, East Ayrshire Council has been working with local communities throughout the area to develop a path network which extends to over 700km. This network is made up of walking, cycling and riding routes; routes around and between towns; and routes into some of the most spectacular scenery in Scotland.

The routes within the East Ayrshire path network are organised into 3 groups – under 5km, 5km to 10km and greater than 10km, with many suitable for cycling and horse riding as well as walking. Included within the network is the Woodroad Park 5km route in Cumnock and for those looking for a greater challenge, the Craigengillan Estate route close to Dalmellington at 10.5km takes in the beauty of Loch Doon which is part of the Doon Valley Paths Network. To find out more about any of these routes and the Core Path Network, visit www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Britain’s first and the world’s fifth dark sky park is planned for Craigengillan Estate about 20 miles from Knockroon. A plan is underway to build an observatory on a rocky knowe in the hills above Loch Doon. The skies here are among the darkest in the world and probably the darkest that most people will ever see. Countless stars, the Milky Way, shooting stars, planets, comets and the Northern Lights are all visible. Partners in the project are Doon Academy, Dalmellington, The Renfrewshire Astronomical Society and Craigengillan. To find out more about the dark sky park, visit www.forestry.gov.uk/darkskygalloway

To find out more about other areas of Ayrshire, visit Ayrshire Paths Network www.ayrshirepaths.org.uk or www.sustrans.org.uk for information on the National Cycle Network in Scotland.