Holiday Ideas - Ayrshire

yesscotland - says:

There are so many great places to see in Ayrshire, steeped as it is in ancient history and culture;

Burns was born here, after all!

But for me its recent past as the playground of the working classes from Glasgow in the 19th and to mid 20th centuries and the creation of holiday resorts from those days is quite fascinating.

The epitome of the heyday of Victorian holiday resorts must be Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae. The visit now is via a roll-on roll-of ferry from Largs harbour but, at the height of its popularity as a holiday destination, it was by the regal elegance of one of the many River Clyde paddle steamers that plied their trade up and down the Firth – similar to the SS Waverley which is still in operation off the west coast.

The town itself has the usual promenade, sandy beaches, rocks for the kids to climb, with a little harbour, steeply rising streets of grey sandstone houses following the contours of the gentle rise behind the seashore to the smallest cathedral in Scotland - the Cathedral of the Isles. On the front a selection of shops and the famous Ritz Café sit looking over the bay to the coastline of Ayrshire across the Firth of Clyde.

The great attraction of Millport and its continued popularity, is the very fact that it is on an Island with safe quiet roads, ideal for Millport’s speciality - bicycle hire. The island round trip on bike takes only a couple of hours, with the promise of a ice cream or a “hot pea special” at the Ritz - reason enough for a visit to this gem of a place!