Walk 109 – Burns’ Trail, Alloway – 3.8 miles

Exit the Burns Cottage car park via a metal archway leading to the B7024/ Alloway’s main street. Turn right to walk along the pavement, looking out for a signpost indicating the start of the Poet’s Path on the left. Follow the Poet’s Path until you reach a footbridge (just beyond the mouse sculpture).

Cross the footbridge and cross Murdoch’s Lone via the pedestrian crossing, heading towards the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. Once outside the museum entrance turn right down Auld Nick’s View (towards the back of the church).

At the end of the street cross the road to visit the Auld Alloway Kirk. Cross back over then turn right to walk past the new Alloway Church.

Turn into the first road on your left, immediately keeping left to go through the gated entrance to the Burns Monument and Gardens. After having a look around (and climbing the monument if you wish!), exit the gardens via some steps at the opposite end from where you entered – the lower end of the gardens. This leads you to a small road.

Cross the road and walk across the cobbled Brig o’ Doon. At the other side of the bridge, continue onto an earth track through some trees, beneath an underpass and out onto the B7024/High Maybole Road.

Cross the road carefully and take the first left onto Longhill Avenue. Walk along the pavement with a field to your right-hand-side. Where the field ends there is a stock gate and next to it look for a narrow earth track leading to a set of steps down onto the Alloway-Burton Cycle Track.

Turn right along the cycle track. You will pass through the ‘Alloway Railway Tunnel’. Take time to admire the murals as you stroll through the tunnel then continue along the cycle path for approx 1 mile further, to where it ends on A79/Maybole Road where you turn left.

Walk along the pavement for approx 100m. Just after crossing Kersepark, look out for a narrow earth track on your left beside a postbox. Follow this track along Slaphouse Burn. Cross over The Loaning, picking up the continuation of the earth path ahead.

Arriving at Rozelle park turn left to continue through the trees, turning right at the Pavillion building.

Take the first left through a gate and continue on a wide track, going past Rozelle House and its gardens. Take the first path on the right at the end of the gardens, emerging onto the Bridle Path in front of the duck pond.

Turn left then second left (last turn before exiting the park) along a tree-lined trail which runs adjacent to the busy B7024/Monument Road (take care to ensure you are on the footpath and not the bridle path). The path bends to the left then approx 100m further along look out for a minor trail on your right, which cuts across the bridle path and leads out onto Burness Avenue via a gap in the hedge.

Cross the road and continue onto Wellpark. At a crossroads turn right onto Clochranhill Road then left onto B7024. You will arrive at Burns Cottage shortly after. The car park is a little further along on the right.