Читать книгу The Ayrshire and Arran Coastal Paths онлайн

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AILSA CRAIG

The distinctive cone of Ailsa Craig, which lies some 15 miles off the Ayrshire Coast, rises sharply to over 1100ft in height and has a diameter of approximately one mile. The island is renowned worldwide due to the quality of its granite, used in the production of curling stones, and quarrying took place on the island for many years. Quarrying has now stopped but loose pieces of granite are still taken to be used for curling stones, the production of which still takes place in the Ayrshire village of Mauchline. Ailsa Craig is a popular tourist destination with daily sailings from Girvan allowing visitors to walk on the island and view the wonderful birdlife that calls Ailsa Craig home.

The track then descends slightly to a fork in the road. Go right here (passing a couple of farm buildings on the left) before the track levels out into mixed woodland consisting of beech, birch, hawthorn, and rowan with the surrounding landscape becoming more agricultural. The track makes for easy and enjoyable walking and, as it sweeps 90° round to the left, crosses an old bridge to develop into a farm road.