TERRAIN: Graded easy. A mix of sandy beaches, surfaced paths and roads, woodland trails, and farm tracks. Two substantial sets of steps on the route as well as a moderately long but gentle incline approx halfway through the walk. No gates or stiles.
Public bus service stops on A719/Turnberry Rd in Maidens, near the Harbour where the walk begins. Plenty of free parking at Maidens Harbour (note – height barriers at entrance/exit).
In Maidens there is a public toilet inside Ropes Bistro and there are portaloos on the grassy area just off the north end of Ardlochan Rd (signposted from the beach). In Culzean Castle Country Park there are public toilets at the Swan Pond, at the castle, and at Home Farm.
Dog friendly walk
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From the car park at Maidens Harbour, head NE along a surfaced path (with the sea on your left), towards a footbridge over a burn. Cross the bridge and continue along the path, dropping down onto the sandy beach of Maidenhead Bay when you reach a ramp.
Walk N along the sandy beach for 1km to the mouth of a burn. If you are unable to ford it, turn right (E) here and use the footbridge then turn left (W) to return to the beach.
Continue North along the beach for a further 300m towards a rocky outcrop. Just before the end of the bay look out for some boardwalk and steps on your right-hand side – go up these to access Culzean Castle & Country Park. At the top of the steps keep left and follow the earth trail around the clifftops.
After 500m you will arrive on the banks of the Swan Pond. Turn right and follow the path all the way around the edge of the pond to the northern end. Turn right when you reach the farthest point of the pond and continue along this high-level trail, keeping the sea on your left.
You’ll meet up with a wider, surfaced road at a barrier. Ignore the turning on the left signposted Dolphin House, but take the next left after that. Walk past the row of canons and note Culzean Castle ahead! Continue towards the castle, continuing ahead to a viewpoint in the castle courtyard.
Exit this area through the stone archway which leads towards the impressive entrance viaduct, however just before going onto the viaduct, turn left down a footpath beside the old stables. On reaching the wall go through a gap and either down the steps or down the winding road to the tall chimney (the Gas House).
Go down the ramp onto the sandy beach. Follow the bay north, picking up a woodland path in the trees 280m along which helps you get around the rocky foreshore, and leads you to some holiday cottages.
Go up the steps beside the cottages. At the top you’ll be on the edge of a car park – turn right along a path through some trees to emerge into another car park. Continue straight through the car park and once directly next to the red blaze entrance to the Home Farm buildings complex, follow the road as it bends to the left. Pass the road signposted ‘Exit’ and take the next road on the left, which has ‘No Entry’ signs at it. Turn left again and continue up Silver Avenue.
Approx 200m up the hill look out for a wide gravel track on your right (shown on the map as Hillhead Road). Turn in here and enjoy an easy walk along good tracks on high open ground with excellent views.
At the end of the track, turn right along Swinston Drive for 100m, turning first left along a narrower trail called ‘Happy Valley‘ for 600m.
At the end of Happy Valley go through a grand entrance gateway and then turn right along a wide track leading to a field. Follow the farm tracks along the edge of the field.
Turn left at Hogston Cottage. This track leads onto Ardlochan Road in Maidens. Continue along this road for approx 1km before turning right towards Maidens Harbour, where this walk ends.
Walk Report: 2nd September 2025
It was so lovely to explore parts of Culzean I’d never set foot on before in spite of MANY visits over the years! Why is it that we seem to walk the same routes all the time? In this case, the walk into Culzean from Maidens via the beach and steps, past the swan pond and up to the castle – that was all very familiar to me, as was the extension along from the Gas House to the holiday cottages, which is part of the Ayrshire Coastal Path and therefore my second home.
I was trying to come up with a good circular walk from Maidens for a couple of guided walks I’d been commissioned to do. I knew that this first half would be a winner – it has everything: quaint fishing harbour, swathes of golden sand, dramatic coastal views, peaceful woodland trails, a swan pond rich with birdlife, a fairytale clifftop castle, historic features….
It was the second half of the loop I wasn’t familiar with. As with all new walks I do, I had spent some time at home plotting out a potential option on Visorando, so I didn’t really know for sure if it would be any good until I went there and tried it out! Sometimes it works, and sometimes it’s a flop!
You’ll be able to tell from the fact that this Route Guide exists that it went very well indeed. Happy Valley in particular was a revelation! So close to the walled garden; hidden in plain sight. Completely different to any other parts of Culzean I’d experienced. I took many photos of the plants and trees, most of which I assumed to be non-native because they looked ornamental, presumably brought to Culzean many moons ago from foreign lands to landscape the path.
I was also really happy with the walk along the track shown on the map as Hillhead Road: to reach it, there had been a fair bit of uphill…. but it was honestly so worth it to be rewarded with the expansive coastal views and what a treat to look down onto the castle rooftop – certainly a view of it I’d never had before!
The part of the route I was most nervous about was the field crossing towards the end: would it be boggy… overgrown… would there be cows…??? It could make or break the whole walk! Imagine my relief when there was an actual TRACK along the field edge! A dry, easy-to-walk-on track! And crops (therefore no cows)! There were butterflies and dragonflies fluttering around. There were also clegs…. but we won’t dwell too much on that. My poor friend probably regretted wearing shorts – but why they all went for her and none of them seemed to bother with me was a bit of a mystery….
Topping off what had been a fantastic walk was the view which greeted us as we made our way back into Maidens. Flowering hedgerows and barley fields gave way to a rocky coastline and the Firth of Clyde against a blue sky. The distant small harbour was jam packed with boats. Day trippers lounged on the beach and paddled in the sea, making the most of the rare hot day. Ailsa Craig towered behind Maidens village, every detail of its granite surface visible. I could even see the top of Turnberry lighthouse peeking out from behind the hillside. What a way to end the day!
