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A stunning circular route through the idyllic south Ayrshire countryside, the Fairy Knowe Trail is most definitely one of Scotland’s hidden gems. Beginning either in Barr village or at the Trails Car Park, this walk follows a variety of forest tracks, mossy tree corridors, and hillside footpaths to reach a viewpoint known as the Fairy Knowe. After a short but steep descent down the steps, the track returns to the start following the course of the Water of Gregg.
TERRAIN: A mix of forestry track and mossy trails. Some steep sections, especially coming down from the viewpoint where there are a lot of steps.
Dog friendly route – responsible dog owners are welcome on the Barr Trails.
On-street parking opposite Barr Village Hall or head to the Trails Car Park, just off Changue Road (KA26 9TT). Parking in the trails car park will shorten the route by 1.2 miles. Closest train station is in Girvan, 7.5 miles away. From there you can travel by bus to Barr and stop at the Village Hall where the walk begins
Route: With your back to Barr Village Hall turn left (E) to walk along the roadside pavement. At a bend in the road keep right to continue ahead onto Changue Road, with the Water of Gregg on your right-hand side. Approx 1 mile along from the start you will reach a fork in the road signposted for the Trails car park – keep right/ straight on here. At another fork approx 300m along take the path on the right to ascend towards a forest (signposted Fairy Knowe Trail). After a short distance on the forestry track, look out for a way marker which indicates a left turn and enjoy a very pleasant stroll along a tree-lined grassy footpath. On emerging from the forest the view opens up and you can see the Fairy Knowe on your left, where you are headed now. Follow a grassy path ahead and downhill to cross a footbridge and a lovely waterfall. The path now heads along the opposite side of the burn, steadily ascending to the viewpoint atop Fairy Knowe. Follow the granite steps down the steep slope to a bridge across Laggan Burn then turn left. Continue on this forestry track beside the Water of Gregg for approx 1 mile to return to the Changue Road which will in turn lead you back to the village.
Note: If you contact the Village Community Assoc. in advance, food/refreshments can be arranged for groups of walkers. Call 01465 861 062 or contact the village Facebook page.
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WALK REPORT: 17TH MARCH 2018
Would I like to come to Barr and experience their trails with a local guide? Let me think for a minute….. YES! Ayrshire born and bred, to the best of my knowledge Barr was a village I had never set foot in. I had, however, tried the trails around nearby Dailly and Straiton and and had fallen in love with rural south Ayrshire as a walking destination. Passionate about exploring and discovering new places, I couldn’t wait to get there and see what Barr had to offer. In her message, Maggie explained that they were trying to promote their local trails and with a Trails Open Day in a few months they were keen to show me around.
Even the drive in was incredible. Google maps took me off the A77 earlier than I had thought it would, around Minishant. From there familiar country roads wound their way through the countryside and eventually became a single track road heading towards Barr. A hill pass awaited me, sheep on the road and all. The views were so stunning I actually stopped the car at one point to take photos.
My guide for the day – local lady Merlin Currie – greeted me on arrival and it became immediately apparent that this woman knows her stuff! A keen walker herself, she has a real passion for the Barr trails and along with a small band of helpers she works tirelessly on a voluntary basis to ensure they are kept in tip top condition. Not only that, but as we continued on our 7.5 mile hike she told me many stories about the history of the trails and also the village’s ambitions and exciting plans for them going forward. It is no wonder she was bursting with pride showing off this wonderful location: a hidden gem indeed. More people need to know about it!
We did a combination of three trails: Fairy Knowe (which recently featured in the BBC documentary The Forest), Kirstie’s Cairn, and The Devil’s Footprint.
From the very start the walk was super scenic. We chose to begin from the Village Hall (which is always open and has public toilets) but there is also a Trails Car Park approx a mile along the road which can be used by walkers. The trails are all way-marked however the signage is in need of a little TLC and there are plans afoot to do so. After turning off Changue Road we headed uphill towards a forest and shortly after took a left turn onto the most beautiful tree corridor. Picture vibrant green all around, the footpath a carpet of moss and grass, the sun penetrating the trees and casting shadows on the ground ahead of us. Simply magical. Had it not been for the wooden signpost I would not even have known that this hidden little footpath existed!
Emerging from the trees we caught our first glimpse of the Fairy Knowe where we would now be heading. Another surprise was waiting at the footbridge in the glen – a small gorge with a waterfall tumbling down it. We paused here for a few minutes taking it all in. Uphill from here and along the side of a steep embankment we soon arrived at the viewpoint where we made use of the newly installed bench to have a bite to eat whilst admiring the scenery all around us. It was hard to believe that I was still in Ayrshire: this was the type of view I expect to have to go to the Highlands to see. Yet here it was, an hour’s drive south of my home, and for many it is much much closer!
As we sat, seemingly alone in this wilderness, we caught sight of a man walking his dog down in the glen. Apparently he didn’t see us, as he proceeded to find a suitable tree on which to empty his bladder! The sights you see when you head out to the countryside haha.
We made use of the new granite steps to descend (you can see them being installed in the BBC documentary The Forest), crossed the burn and headed off to the site of Kirstie’s Cairn 1 mile further along the Changue Forest track. More to come on that in my next blog post!
Other walks in the area you might enjoy:
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Gillian's Walks 
Brilliant Grant, its definitely a hidden gem this one! Really appreciate your feedback again and loving hearing where you and your family are getting to 😊
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Your walks are becoming a staple part of the weekend for the kids and I!! This was one of the best yet. Our breath was taken away when we emerged from the forest path to that stunning view! And the steep steps down the ridge were more nerve wracking for me than the kids! Thanks for the route, we loved it!
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Hi Tracey, it’s such a brilliant area isn’t it. Hidden away there in rural South Ayrshire. More people definitely need to visit. So glad you enjoyed it, hope your group does too!
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My friend and I did this walk today as we’re leading it for our walking group in March. It’s a stunning walk. I want to go back and walk the other trails.
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Hi Neil, glad you liked this walk – Barr is such a great area for exploring! The butterfly you describe sounds like a peacock – https://butterfly-conservation.org/butterflies/peacock. I understand that the village is currently improving signage for their trails as some of them are a little confusing at present. Sounds like you enjoyed your day nonetheless!
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Finally managed to do this walk today and loved , even with overcast skies and misty, muggy atmosphere. Done in reverse as I wasn’t paying attention and went right at the fork, which to be fair does have a sign pointing you that way . Must have been my subconscious lazy self as it meant a slow meander up through the Forrest and a descent down the Fairy Knowe steps where I encountered the most beautiful butterflies with “eye” markings on their wings which appeared to be looking at me ! The winding Forrest part through the trees was also in the process of being upgraded by Forrest workers who were spreading stone chippings along the paths. A rewarding walk I look forward to returning to at different times of the year to see the changing seasons.
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