Ayr is the main town of South Ayrshire and the heart of Burns Country — the birthplace of Robert Burns is at Alloway, just two miles south, and the surrounding Ayrshire countryside is dotted with sites connected to Scotland’s national poet. The Ayrshire Coastal Path passes through, and Culzean Castle with its dramatic clifftop grounds is just twelve miles south.

A large, well-connected town with good accommodation and Prestwick Airport nearby, Ayr is the most practical base for South Ayrshire coastal and Burns Country walking, with regular trains from Glasgow.