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A Side Trip: The Castle Trail. Just past the junction between the M77 and A77 you can take a
side diversion to visit several Scottish castles. See sidebar below for details.

28.7 mi 55.4553, -4.5958 At Holmston Roundabout take the 3rd exit on to Holmston Rd, the A70,
into Ayr.

1.3 mi 55.4575, -4.6273 AYR.

A CASTLE TRAIL

Begin the Castle trail with a visit to Rowallan Castle, near Kilmaurs. GPS 55.6528, -4.4913.
Located just off the A77, and right outside Kilmarnock, Rowallan Castle is only a 30 minute drive
from Glasgow and well signposted. Set in rolling Ayrshire parkland, the castle is an extraordinary
Renaissance house and was home to the Muirs of Ayrshire. Book a tour and enjoy a visit to this
hidden gem.

From there take a short drive to the Dean Castle Country Park, just a few minutes down the A77.
GPS 55.6232, -4.4832. Nestled in the heart of Kilmarnock, with over 200 acres of land, Dean
Castle Country Park has a huge variety of activities to enjoy.

Dean Castle takes its name from ‘the dean’ or wooded valley that surrounds it and originally dates
back to 1350.

Take a tour and experience the history and legacy of the Boyd family or stroll through the country
park, with its woodland walks and a variety of biodiversity and conservation related events and
talks. Children will love visiting the Pet’s Corner to pat Timmy and Pip the donkeys, or to say hello
to the pygmy goats and Timmy the Clydesdale horse.

Finish your day with a visit to Dundonald Castle, perched on a cliff top overlooking the village of
Dundonald. GPS 55.5769, -4.5972. Explore the high-vaulted halls and gloomy dungeons of this
stronghold, originally built in the 1370s by King Robert II to mark his succession to the throne.

Its heritage is explored in the visitor centre with an exhibition illustrating the history of the site and
a display of some of the artefacts found during archaeological excavations on the hill.

Ayr to Keswick

Click here to return to the Scotland Menu

This touring route will take you directly from Ayrshire back over the border into England and the
glories of the Lake District. And just before you cross the border you will have a chance to visit the
famous Gretna Green Blacksmith’s Shop.

For information on and attractions in the Lake District click here . . .

To be seen and done along the way . . .

The Devil’s Porridge Museum tells the remarkable story of the Greatest Munitions Factory on
Earth, HM Factory Gretna. Built during the First World War, the factory stretched nine miles along
the Solway Coast and at its height, produced more cordite explosive than all the other UK factories
combined. The name was inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of the Sherlock Holmes