Short walk along the south bank of the River Ayr and through attractive mixed woodland just east of Ayr. A landslip has recently made the first section of this walk more difficult but the path can still be negotiated with care.
Bog Factor
Earth footpaths and woodland tracks, short rough section at start.
Limited roadside parking immediately west of Oswald's Bridge.
Bus from Ayr and Mauchline. .
NS 387 230
There is limited rough roadside parking on the west side of Oswald's Bridge (the car park mentioned on the sign is usually locked). Start the walk by crossing Oswald's Bridge. Erected in 1826 it is named after Richard Oswald, the 18th century tobacco merchant and slave trader who built the present Auchincruive House in 1767. Immediately after crossing the bridge turn left onto a footpath (not the track on the left a little further on which is the return route). Follow the path down to the south bank of the River Ayr which is wide and sluggish this close to the sea.
A flight of steps lead closer to the river and there are wooden railings at times. Soon a large area of landslipped ground and a rough path has to be negotiated, take care and do not continue if further collapse seems imminent. Continue on the path and watch out for herons and dippers feeding.
Soon the sandstone walls of the hanging gardens can be seen on the far side of the river. Built as a work creation scheme for unemployed miners in the 1830's it was part of the formal gardens of Auchincruive House before it became an agricultural college and later private offices. As well as ornamental gardens there was a productive glasshouse which produced peaches and pineapples. The path continues through the trees and then alongside a fence and field. Ignore a stile in the fence on the right.
Continue through the trees, heading up a number of wooden steps and eventually bearing left where there is another stile into a field on the right. Continue as the wide path heads through a dence wood of mainly beech, oak, Scots pine and Japanese larch.
When the path bears right to emerge from the trees towards a field turn right at the marker post to start the return. Now following a section of the River Ayr Way, in places this wide path can be very muddy. Continue ahead and go through a gate into a field. Continue straight ahead aiming towards the roof of a house. Go through another gate and soon a further gate is reached leading to the minor road at Oswald's Bridge. Opposite, through an ornate gate, is a memorial to Wallace and Burns. Cross the bridge to return to the start.
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