NOTE: The bridge over the Stevenston Burn is currently closed, meaning there is no access to Stevenston Beach. The Ayrshire Coastal Path has been re-routed along the cycle track through Stevenston Local Nature Reserve, betweeen Shore Road car park and the eastern end of Saltcoats promenade. Follow onsite directional arrows. This doesn’t add any extra distance to the route and on the plus side makes the whole route buggy friendly.
DIFFICULTY RATING: easy. All on the flat and hard surfaces like pavements, cycle track and promenade.
Small car park at Low Green play area, Irvine (KA12 8RJ) and on-street parking on Montgomerie Street, Ardrossan. Bus services between Irvine and Ardrossan. Train services between Irvine and Ardrossan (change at Kilwinning).
Closest toilets to start point are at Irvine Train Station, the Rivergate Shopping Centre, or Asda Irvine (all at the other side of the river approx 10-15 mins walk away). In Stevenston, Doon the Beach Community Cafe has a customer toilet.
Purchase the official Ayrshire Coastal Path Guide Book
View full route description
From the Low Green in Irvine, the Ayrshire Coastal Path way markers lead walkers North along the cycle path with the River Irvine always to the left-hand side.
You will walk beneath the Marress Road bridge, then past the Robert Burns statue on the Town Moor, meeting up with the railway line after 1km.
At this point the cycle path turns right, away from the river and runs parallel to the railway line.
After 350m cross over a minor road and pick up the cycle path at the other side. Continue to follow the cycle path for 1km to emerge beside Bartonholm Recycling Centre.
Cross the access road and continue along the cycle track past Garnock Floods Nature Reserve.
After crossing the River Garnock, turn right to cross the B779 and enter a pleasant tree-lined track. It passes beneath the Kilwinning Bypass and follows the course of the River Garnock upstream.
After 1km there is a fork in the path next to a bridge – keep left (do not cross the river).
Approx 240m along, cross over the B779/Nethermains Road to pick up the continuation of the cycle path at the other side.
You will emerge from the trees onto Longford Avenue. Cross the road and continue ahead onto Byrehill Road, later becoming Dubbs Road, following the Ayrshire Coastal Path and NCN73 signage towards Stevenston. Follow this quiet minor road for approx 3km.
Shortly after passing Greenacres Caravan Park, cross the B752 and continue straight ahead into Ardeer Quarry Nature Reserve.
Follow the Ayrshire Coastal Path signage south then west around the edge of the park, emerging onto Moorpark Road East in Stevenston.
Turn left onto Station Road. After the level crossing Station Road becomes Shore Road. Shore Road splits into two – keep right to head towards a fenced-off play area (and the coast).
After passing Doon the Beach Community Cafe, turn right to walk through a car park. At the end of the car park follow the directional signage along the cycle track behind the sand dunes (due to the closure of the bridge over Stevenston Burn).
This leads to the Stevenston-Saltcoats promenade. At the end of the promenade turn left onto Seaview Road.
Follow the pavement for 400m to Saltcoats Harbour. Turn right to walk around the edge of the harbour on a surfaced path, a large car park on your right-hand side.
After walking behind the Leisure Centre, you will pass a stone tower overlooking the former Saltcoats bathing pools.
Walk through the kids play area and along the edge of the former bathing pools to reach Ardrossan South Beach.
Follow the promenade for 1.4km to merge onto B780/Arran Place.
Turn left. After a bend in the road, Arran Place becomes Princess Street. Continue along Princes Street for 350m, through a level crossing and a pedestrian crossing.
After the pedestrian crossing there is a fork in the road – keep left to go onto Dockers Gardens, taking the first right to reach Ardrossan Harbour.
WALK REVIEW: 15TH APRIL 2017
When I did this part of the Ayrshire Coastal Path during a charity hike I had already walked 16 miles from Ayr with my mum and friend Helen, so I was a little weary. Now walking alone, I found the initial inland section along the cycle track pretty uninspiring. I felt somewhat annoyed by the fact that if there had been a proper bridge across the River Irvine, such as the one to The Big Idea which has been left in the open position (and therefore useless) since 2016, then it might have been possible to walk along Ardeer Beach and cut out a lot of unnecessary miles. I am not against inland sections on a long distance coastal walk – there had been some stunning ones on my journey so far from Glenapp 60 miles south – but I AM against inland sections which offer absolutely no view to the coast whatsoever. I am being a tad harsh…. this one was more scenic than some cycle tracks I have walked along in the past. It went through some nice woodland areas and had more twists and turns that I had expected, plus there was a 2 mile stretch along a quiet minor road which was pleasant. It also offered some relief from the wind that had been battering my face all day!
I was glad to reach the beach at Stevenston, not least because of the sights I had just witnessed coming through the town: school-age kids trying to duck under the level crossing barrier before (and even after) it closed to let a train pass….. Other kids driving motorbikes up and down the pavement on Station Road. “Classy“, I thought. Coming across the footbridge and onto the beach was like walking into another world. There wasn’t another soul to be seen anywhere along the pristine golden sand. I reminded myself that it was blowing a gale and that was most likely a big factor in that but I was grateful nonetheless! I was also grateful to the team of local volunteers I had read about who work tirelessly to keep Stevenston Beach litter-free. Were it not for them, judging by the behaviour of the youths I had just witnessed in town, I had no doubts that the beach would be far less enjoyable for me to be on.
I am conscious that I have painted rather a dull picture of this walk, however I do believe that this is due to having walked so far before I got to the starting point of it, and the weather playing a part too. As a walk on it’s own merits, the Irvine to Stevenston cycle track would be great if you are looking for an easy stroll inland through woodland and parks. It would be buggy-friendly too. More exciting would be the Stevenston to Ardrossan section if you are like me and prefer to be beside (or on!) the seaside. “The Three Towns” of Stevenston, Saltcoats and Ardrossan merge seamlessly together so you are never far from civilization.
