Dog-Friendly Holidays Ayrshire

This charming wooden detached bungalow is situated in the small hamlet of Lendalfoot, 6 miles from the seaside town of Girvan with harbour, shops, pubs and restaurants, and boasts stunning views over the sea to Ailsa Craig. Towering over the Carleton cottages are Carleton and Balsalloch Hills, rising steeply from the shore, 11th-century castle ruins. To the south of the hamlet is an excellent off road picnic area, with sandy beach and excellent views up and down the coast. When the tide is out you can walk out to the rocks and see seals swimming and basking. An ideal area to explore the scenic countryside of Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway and a popular area for outdoor pursuits. Shops, pub and restaurant 7 miles.

This charming, detached gatehouse is situated quietly within the beautiful grounds of the Gilmilnscroft Estate, with formal gardens and enchanted woods, rich in flora and fauna with lovely walks, and fields with its own resident sheep. The cottage has great views of the Ayrshire countryside to the Isle of Arran beyond and is a great place to observe sunsets.
New for summer 2019 is a fully refurbished summer house, for use of both properties. Located close to the quiet village of Sorn with easy access to the River Ayr Way, with over 40 miles of walks through one of the most interesting valleys in southern Scotland with a wide range of habitats and wildlife. Dumfries House, made famous by Prince Charles’ involvement, is located approximately 3 miles away, and is a major attraction in East Ayrshire, as is Auchinleck House, home to James Boswell, a similar distance away. Also close by is the wonderful Ayrshire Coastal Path, with over 100 miles along one of the finest panoramic coastlines. Inland, there are gardens and castles to visit, riding, racing, a choice of golf courses and several country parks, with Culzean Castle, 45 minutes away, (owned by the National Trust for Scotland) and being Ayrshire’s most popular tourist attraction, with a network of wooded trails passing along the beach. Day trips to Ireland can be taken from Cairnryan. The bustling cosmopolitan city of Glasgow is only a 45-minute drive and Edinburgh is 1½ hours, with good train links from Prestwick. Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park is approximately 1¼ hours away and the ferry links to the islands of Cumbrae, Bute and Arran are all close by. Visitors are welcome all year round, and during January and February, you can enjoy the snowdrops, snow, frost and crisp sunshine. From the 1st April to the 15th June, this is the time for the most reliable weather, with the spring bluebells, birdsong and the ornate gardens. September to November brings the autumn colour which is exceptional due to the prominence of the native beech trees. Beach 15 miles. Shop within 2 miles, pub and restaurant 1 mile.
Gilmilnscroft Gatehouse (UK5164) and The Old Stables (UK5695) can be booked together to accommodate up to 8 guests.

Situated on the Isle of Cumbrae this spacious ground floor holiday apartment is situated only 100 yards from the waters edge. Millport sports a beautiful sandy beach, with tropical palms fronting the promenade and yachts moored out in the sheltered bay. From here you can explore the charm of a seaside town with café’s, shops and bars and bistro. A haven for wildlife, Cumbrae attracts migrant birds from around the world, and the flora of the island is equally varied with a visit to the island’s Marine Research Station with museum and aquarium a must. Millport is also the home of Europe’s smallest cathedral and Britain’s narrowest house. An ideal location for cycling, walking and golf, and the National Watersports Centre offers courses to suit all aspect of water based activities. The main Newton Bay offer sheltered anchorages and secure moorings. Beach 100 yards. Shop, pub and restaurant 100 yards.

Balig Cottage is a delightful and cosy cottage, offering the most amazing views of Ailsa Craig from the garden and kitchen. You will certainly know you have arrived in Scotland once you open the door and step into the cosy living room, with its eye-catching feature wallpaper depicting a life size stag, and warm tartan walls.
Balig Cottages is situated on the Ayrshire Coastal Path, a 100-mile long coastal route with stunning views and scenery, the perfect location for walkers. With a superb backdrop of the ever-changing profile of the mountains of Arran across the Firth of Clyde, this coastline is steeped in history and teeming with wildlife, including red squirrels, deer, otters and seals, and is a haven for bird watchers. The cottage is available all year round and is in the perfect position for access to all the local sporting estates in the local area for shooting and fishing, two kennels are also available for working dogs.
Just a mile away from Balig Cottages, Ballantrae is a pretty village overlooked by the ruins of Ardstinchar Castle, and guests will find plenty of opportunities for fishing nearby. During the summer months the village hosts a variety of events. The seaside town of Girvan, boasting a harbour and leisure centre with a swimming pool, is only 11 miles up the coast where you can take a boat trip to the famous Ailsa Craig, a small Island upon which ‘blue hone’ micro granite is quarried to make curling stones. The island is now a bird sanctuary and home to more than 70,000 birds including gannets, guillemots and puffins.
Inland there are a number of wonderful gardens and castles to visit, horse riding to enjoy and a choice of golf courses available. Culzean Castle, owned by the National Trust for Scotland, is spectacular and is one of Ayrshire’s most popular tourist attractions. The surrounding country park, extending over 550 acres, has a network of wooded trails passing along the beach. The islands of Arran and Cumbrae are easily accessed and make for a lovely day out, while day trips to Ireland can be taken from Cairnryan. The local community pub only opens at weekends in winter and please do check the location as we are 15 miles each way to the nearest town for the supermarkets for a big shop,
please keep this in mind its a place to get way from it all not to be in the middle of town. Beach 1½ miles. Shop, pub and restaurant 1½ miles.

This cosy ground floor apartment is situated only 100 yards from the promenade and beautiful sandy beach in the seaside town of Troon and is ideally located to explore the beauty of South West Scotland. Troon has a wide range of amenities including shopping, restaurants, recreational facilities, Promenade and Yacht Marina, and is home to the world famous Royal Troon golf course. For walkers, the Ayrshire coastal path is easily accessed with a fantastic panoramic coastline, boasting beautiful views over the sea and across to the mountains of Arran. Ayrshire offers many gardens and castles to visit, alongside activities such as riding, racing and golf, including the world famous Royal Troon and Turnberry courses, both close by.

Culzean Castle and Dumfries House are both spectacular and it is well worth booking a tour. The islands of Cumbrae, Arran and Bute are all easily reached for a day out, while day trips to Ireland can be taken from Cairnryan. There are very good rail links from Troon for a trip to the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park is just under an hour’s drive away and is well worth a visit.

The Galloway Forest Park is just a short drive away and is Britain’s largest forest park, with three hundred square miles of wild beauty waiting to be explored. The park boasts tranquil valleys, rugged rock faces, forest, moorland, lochs and ancient woodland, filled with a huge diversity of wildlife including red and roe deer, wild goats and many birds of prey. The park has also been awarded the status of one of only four Dark Sky Parks in the western world and when the sun sets, enthusiasts come to wonder at the universe revealed above.

A perfectly-positioned, single-storey, semi-detached holiday cottage resting in Maidens, Ayrshire. Sea views. Near amenities and beach. Off-road parking. Ground-floor living. Enclosed garden. Maybole 6.7 miles; Girvan 7.1 miles.

Located in rural Ayrshire this charming cottage boasts stunning views over the Ayrshire countryside and is a perfect location for the outdoor enthusiast.
The seaside towns of Ayr, Prestwick and Troon are all close by with beautiful sandy beaches and stunning views towards the Isle of Arran. Day trips can be taken to Arran and Cumbrae and are well worth the effort. Ayrshire is home to the Ayrshire Coastal Path, a 100-mile-long coastal walk with one of the finest panoramic coastlines in the British Isles. Crowned with a superb backdrop of the ever-changing profile of the mountains of Arran across the Firth of Clyde, this coastline is steeped in history and teeming with wildlife, including red squirrels, deer, otters and seals and is a haven for bird watchers.
Inland there are gardens and castles to visit, riding, racing and a choice of golf courses, with the world-famous Turnberry close to hand. Culzean Castle (owned by the National Trust for Scotland) is spectacular and is Ayrshire’s most popular tourist attraction. Ayrshire is also known as ’Burns’ Country’ and is steeped in tradition and history. Visit Burns Cottage, The Burns Memorial Museum and the Brig o’ Doon, the bridge from the famous poem Tam o’ Shanter Dumfries House is just a short drive away, this 18th-century stately home is set in 2000 acres, with the architecture of Robert Adam with the furniture of Thomas Chippendale. The New Cumnock Swimming Pool is unique in Scotland, being the only heated, open-air, freshwater swimming pool. It was opened in 2017 by Prince Charles who gave his patronage to ensure that it wasn’t demolished. The Galloway Forest Park is only a 30-minute drive away and is Britain’s largest forest park with 300 square miles of wild beauty waiting to be explored.
The park boasts tranquil valleys, rugged rock faces, forest, moorland, lochs and ancient woodland and a huge diversity of wildlife including red and roe deer, wild goats and many birds of prey. The park has also been awarded the status of one of only four Dark Sky Parks in the western world and when the sun sets enthusiasts come to wonder at the universe revealed above. Beach 12 miles.

Situated near all amenities in the lively seaside town of Largs this apartment offers a cosy retreat after a day exploring the beauty of the surrounding area. Largs boasts an attractive promenade with scenic views, plenty of shops, restaurants, pubs and cafés, and is home to the famous Nardini’s ice cream parlour with its 1930’s art deco ambience.
The town is perfectly situated for exploring neighbouring islands; the Cumbrae ferry leaves from the town and there is easy access to ferries to Dunoon, for exploring the Cowal Peninsula, the Isle of Arran and Bute. The world’s last sea-going paddle steamer, The Waverley, makes regular excursions from Largs.
Ayrshire offers a varying coastline, with villages, beaches and rocky coves to explore, a variety of wildlife to enjoy and is an ideal location for cyclists and walkers. There are gardens and castles to visit, from Kelburn Castle Estate at Largs with its spectacular graffiti façade to Culzean Country Park, an historic stately home, all with gardens and a network of wooded trails.
There is also riding, fishing, racing and a choice of golf courses including the world-famous Turnberry. Robert Burns, The National Bard, was born in Ayrshire and there are sites celebrating Burns and the county’s maritime, mining and agricultural heritage.
The town has good train and bus links to Glasgow and other parts of Ayrshire and good bus links to towns north of Largs along the Clyde Estuary with its scenic views and shipbuilding history. Beach 250 yards.

This all on one level cottage situated on a working farm has enclosed private gardens with its own private hot tub and external games room.
The magnificent Ayrshire coastline and countryside is a paradise for walkers, bikers and hikers, with numerous coastal trails and country tracks to explore. The Ayrshire Coastal Path runs along this coastline and is very popular with walkers. The area is steeped in history, with many ruined castles to explore, such as Dunure, Turnberry and Greenan.
A visit and tour of Culzean Castle, designed by Robert Adams and truly one of his masterpieces, is one not to be missed with its dramatic clifftop location, as is a trip to the 18th century Dumfries House, part of the Princes Foundation and home to an unrivalled collection of Chippendale furniture. The 2000-acre estate has been beautifully designed with stunning walks throughout the grounds.
The world-famous Royal Troon golf course is only a 5-minute drive. The pretty seaside towns of Ayr, Prestwick and Troon are only a short drive and there are very good rail links for a trip to the cosmopolitan city of Glasgow. The islands of Cumbrae and Arran are easily reached for a day out. Beach 3 miles. Pub 1½ miles and shop 2¾ miles.