DIFFICULTY RATING: moderate/challenging. Sand and shingle beaches, grassy roadside verge, farm tracks and promenade. Steep ascent up onto Pinbain Hill on good tracks. The farm tracks tend to fill up with muddy puddles after any rain. High chance of livestock on this route. There are lots of kissing gates – please ensure you leave them securely chained. Exposed in poor weather.
Car park at the Varyag memorial, Lendalfoot (KA26 0JG) and at Ainslie Park, Girvan (KA26 0HW). Bus service between Girvan and Lendalfoot. Girvan is also served by a train station, 1.5 miles further along the coast from Ainslie Park.
Toilets options on this route: Ainslie Park in Girvan (end of walk). Check opening times and charges on the SAC website.
Purchase the official Ayrshire Coastal Path guide book
View full route description
From the Varyag memorial car park, go down onto the beach and head north for approximately 3km. As you reach the end of the beach at some large rocks, look out for Ayrshire Coastal Path signage on the roadside to your right.
Head over the grass towards the sign and turn left along the grass verge. Take care crossing the A77 over to a gate at the other side.
Beyond the gate, a gravel track leads you steeply uphill before becoming grassy and levelling out a little. Traverse the hillside on this high-level old coach road, enjoying the views across the Firth of Clyde to Ailsa Craig.
After 2km, on approach to a farm building and mast, look out for a kissing gate on your left which takes you around the left / seaward side of the old Shepherd’s hut. There is another kissing gate at the other side leading you back onto the track.
For the next 1.5 km the track descends towards Ardwell Farm. Keep heading NE, ignoring a track on your left which would take you onto A77.
As you approach Ardwell Farm turn left at a fork to reach a gate giving access to the A77. Cross the road carefully then turn right (NE) along the roadside verge. If the tide allows, head down onto Ardwell Bay via the slip (note ACP low tide route signage) and enjoy the incredible rock formations on this stretch of coastline!
At Woodlands Bay Hotel, I recommend leaving the beach via the ramp and walking along the roadside pavement. The Myoch Burn approx half a mile further along can often be too deep or wide to cross on the beach so this will save you having to turn back or scrambling up the rock armouring.
Follow a grassy track around the back of Ainslie Manor Nursing Home and then along the roadside pavement to Ainslie Park where this section ends.
WALK REVIEW: 8th April 2017 (updated 2nd September 2024)
This walk was the last third of a 27 mile hike which had started 6hrs prior in Glenapp. Despite being physically tired, I just absolutely loved it. The beaches were pristine with huge numbers of seabirds, interesting rock structures and gorgeous golden sand. The high-level section broke up the beach walking perfectly and I was lucky to experience bone dry conditions underfoot going across the fields (definitely not always the case as I have later learned!)
What annoyed me somewhat was that the Walkhighlands route description didn’t specify distances between different points: for example it told me to “drop down onto the beach (in Lendalfoot) and continue until Pinbain Burn is reached” at which point I should cross the A77 and head inland. The problem was that there were several burns running down onto the beach so I kept worrying that I had missed the turn-off and this resulted in a lot of to-ing and fro-ing and worrying. It turned out that it is almost 2 miles along! If I had known that I could have enjoyed it better. I know now for next time and have made sure to include that info for you in my route description above …. 🙂
It had been a relatively breezy day even at a low level, but I became aware of how exposed I was on the hillside path when I needed do don an extra layer and tie my hair back to see where I was going! Traversing the hillside was simply spectacular, the views to die for. As had been the case for the majority of my day so far, I had the track to myself with the exception of some sheep and a lone Roe Deer which ran across the field ahead of me!
Back down to sea level for the final 2 miles, I chose to walk along the shore into Girvan (there is also a pavement along the A77 should you prefer or at high tide: easier walking but not so peaceful or scenic!) I was fascinated by the rock structures along this beach. There was row upon row of flat narrow rocks running perfectly parallel to each other, as well some larger spiky ones emerging from the sand. I wondered aboout how all this came to be! I have since read that this could have formed part of the floor of the ancient Iapetus Ocean which separated Scotland and England up until 425 million years ago. Wow!
There are a couple of sections on this beach which might prove tricky at high tide or after a lot of rain.
One of these is by the entrance to Ardmillan Castle Holiday Park, where a large water pipe flows onto the beach. If you are unable to cross the resulting flow of water, a short scramble up the rock armouring will take you over and you can get back onto the beach at the other side fairly easily.
Another section to look out for is at Woodland Bay, where there is a hotel. The bay here fills in quickly and the water can be lapping the rock armouring a whole 3 hours before high tide…. Some people will happily skirt along the rocks here, but others may need to scramble up the rocks onto the roadside verge instead. Alternatively ensure that you arrive here at low tide, in which case an easy walk along firm sand will be enjoyed.
Last but most certainly not least is the Myoch Burn – this flows onto the beach just south of Ainslie Manor Nursing Home and after heavy rainfall or at high tide will cause most people a problem. On a recent visit mid August I found it to be way too deep and wide to ford without getting wet feet. With no other option I had to retrace my steps half a mile along the beach back to Woodland Bay where there is ramp access to the roadside pavement. My advice, if you are unsure of the state of the burn, is to go up onto the pavement at Woodland Bay and save yourself the potential extra mileage.
West is best for sunsets and Girvan is no different. Time your walk correctly and you might be treated to the similar scenes to the below at the end of your walk. Perfect end to an amazing day!
