East Ayrshire

Overview

East Ayrshire's rich, rolling farmland is dotted with towns and villages containing many fine historic buildings, markers of the area's impressive heritage which stretches back to Wallace and Bruce.

East Ayrshire was once renowned as one of the main textile centres of the British Empire. Evidence of this industrious past can be seen across the region at Stewarton, Fenwick, Newmilns and Dalmellington and elsewhere. Although the industry is now much reduced, for bargain hunters there are still factory shops worth checking out, including those for knitwear in Galston and for lace and furnishing fabrics in Newmilns and Darvel. Other aspects of East Ayrshire's often dramatic history can be seen in its castles, Covenanter memorials, heritage centres and industrial museums.

In common with the rest of the region, East Ayrshire has indelible links with the national bard, Robert Burns. No visitor to this part of the world should miss visiting Mauchline, which was the home of Robert Burns during the most creative period of his life.

The area is perfect for exploring on foot or by bike. Kilmarnock's network of in-town cycle routes provides the central link in the chain of a cycle route across Ayrshire. To the west, there is a link to the Firth of Clyde and the Millennium Cycle Route. To the east, there is direct access to the paths and cycleway network of the Irvine Valley, leading to Loudoun Hill and thence to Lanarkshire.