Alloway - Doonfoot - Greenan - Belleisle Park - Alloway
| Distance | Approximate Time | Height Gain | OS Map |
| 9 kms | 03:00 (hrs:mins) | 30 metres | Explorer 326: Ayr & Troon |
Description
The walk starts in the village of Alloway, close to the Tam O'Shanter Experience, Alloway Church and the auld haunted kirk. As Robert Burns said,
"..Kirk-Alloway seem'd in a bleeze, Thro' ilka bore the beams were glancing, And loud resounded mirth and dancing. ..."
The walk takes you along the old Maidens and Dunure light railway line - under the auld kirk's graveyard by means of a "big scary tunnel" - to reach the coast near Greenan Castle. This line was originally built in the early 20th Century to serve the then new hotel and golf course at Turnberry. Greenan Castle is one of the famous views in Ayr, its ruins set high up on the shore. After a short spell on the beach, you follow the River Doon for a short distance. There is a suitable refreshment stop at this point, in the Balgarth Hotel.
The walk then continues to pass through both Belleisle and Rozelle Parks. Both of these parks are worth further exploration than is detailed in this walk. Each has its own mansion house, Belleisle's now being a hotel and restaurant and Rozelle's housing the Alexander Goudie exhibition of paintings depicting the Tam O'Shanter story. Upon exiting Rozelle park, the walk follows a small section of woodland to return to the railway line followed at the start of the walk. The walk concludes along the railway path to reach the start point. Time should be allowed to finish the walk by visiting the Tam O'Shanter Experience, the Burns Monument and the auld haunted kirk. The Tam O'Shanter Experience has a cafe and the gardens beyond have picnic tables.
Access Info
Parking is available in the Tam O'Shanter Experience car park, in Alloway. From the A77 follow the signs for Alloway, and also the brown information signs for the Tam O'Shanter Experience.
Additional Info
There are many points at which the walk can be started, all with suitable car parking facilities: Scaur o' Doon, close to the mouth of the river; Belleisle; Rozelle. Click the Walkingworld link below to find out more about this route.
Full words to the Robert Burns poem Tam O'Shanter www.robertburns.org.
